Ponca Public School 2021 Veterans Program
Submitted by Cindy Anderson
Launch the media gallery 1 player - media #1
Launch the media gallery 1 player - media #2
In honor of Veterans Day celebrated on Thursday, November, 11, 2021, Ponca Public Schools hosted a school and community-wide program.
Veterans and auxiliary members from the American Legions of: Ponca, Jackson, Newcastle, current military men and women, community members, Ponca school board members, and school administrators, staff, and students were invited to attend the observance.
Elementary student council secretary Abbigail Ruhland led everyone in saying the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by the Ponca High School band playing the National Anthem.
Elementary and high school student council presidents, Abrahm Krusemark and Addie McGill, gave the welcome. High school student council member Zachary Fernau read a proclamation by President Biden.
Dr. Adam Webb directed the third through sixth grade students in singing, “Veterans, We Love You.” Dr. Webb also directed the 7-12 grade chorus in singing, “America-the New Colossus,” while the 7-12 grade band, directed by Mrs. Jessica Steckly accompanied the choir. The band also played, “Armed Forces-the Pride of America” during which Mr. Mike Brandt announced the five branches of the military.
Jackson Legion Auxiliary sponsored an Americanism Essay contest last spring for students in grades 3-6. The following students whose first place essays were judged at the state level, read their essays: Class 1-Grades 3 & 4- Kole Krusemark (currently a 5th grader), Class 6-Alternative-Caleb Ketelsen (currently a 7th grader), and Class 2-Grades 5 & 6 –Brooklynn King (currently a 7th grader).
Claire Burrell and Olivia Taylor, high school student council members, read the roll call of names of veterans and current military personnel who were in attendance at the program.
High school student council member Taylor Korth recognized Ponca High School senior Zachary Fernau, who has made plans to enlist in the Nebraska Army National Guard to be part of the Infantry unit and senior Eli Persinger, who has made plans to enlist in the Nebraska Air National Guard to become an operations intelligence specialist.
Ponca High School Student Council vice president Abbie Hrouda introduced her great uncle and brother to Mrs. Cindy Anderson, Navy Commander (retired) Pete Morgan. Pete grew up on a dairy farm west of South Sioux City, NE, and after graduation from South Sioux City High School entered the Navy as a midshipman at the US Naval Academy in 1977 and was commissioned an Ensign upon graduation in 1981. He received his Naval Aviation Wings as an Operational Logistics/Search and Rescue helicopter pilot in 1982. He served in various helicopter combat support squadrons during assigned tours.
Additional tours included Air Boss aboard USS LaSalle and safety department head aboard USS Enterprise. Peter retired from the Navy after 24+ years of service following his second tour of duty at the Pentagon as the first Navy Flying Hour Program Readiness Requirements Officer in the CNO N43 Readiness Requirements Division. He spoke about this 2nd tour of duty at the Pentagon at the time of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack.
Brooks Kephart, vice president of the elementary student council gave an update about the Nebraska Medal of Honor Highway 20 sign project that Ponca School gave a donation of $1,331.00 to purchase a Medal of Honor HIghway 20 sign, to last year. Vice Commander of the Nebraska American Legion and President of the Nebraska Medal of Honor Foundation (Highway 20 Sign Project) Daryl G. Harrison spoke at our virtual program last year about getting legislation to rename Nebraska Highway 20 as the Nebraska Medal of Honor Highway to honor the seventy-four Nebraska Medal of Honor recipients. Mr Harrison, along with the Medal of Honor Highway 20 Sign steering committee were able to purchase all seventy-four signs in honor of the Nebraska Medal of Honor recipients. The sign that Ponca School purchased is located at the junction of Highway 20 and Highway 81 (west of Randolph, NE). Mr. Harrison said that Phase II of the project is to get signs made for each of the sponsoring groups of the current seventy-four signs.
Lily Korth and Ava Brown, treasurers of the high school and elementary student councils, presented information about Ponca School’s donation to the Siouxland Freedom Park in South Sioux City, NE. Mr. Mike Newhouse, president of the Siouxland Freedom Park, was not able to attend the program, as he was celebrating Veterans Day at the Freedom Park with the dedication of the new interpretive center named in honor of Brigadier General Bud Day and his wife Doris. Mr. Newhouse invited Ponca School to attend a special program on Friday, November 12 at 10:00 AM. The executive officers of the elementary and high school student councils, Mrs. Anderson, Mrs. Hassler, and Mr. Calahan attended this program. Lily Korth and Ava Brown presented a donation in the amount of $3,200.00 to Mr. Mike Newhouse. The donation was made possible from proceeds from: the Ponca Elementary and High School Student Councils, grades 7-12 character teams, the Ponca Music Boosters, the Ponca Education Association, and several other private supporters of Ponca School.
Mr. Brendan Calahan, Ponca Public Schools’ Superintendent, gave the closing remarks.
During the program a multimedia series of computer visuals created by Ponca Schools’ technologist Mrs. Kristie Hayes was projected on a large screen while School Technologist Andy Stark ran the sound system.