The Veterans Day ceremony, which honors the veterans in the community, will take place tomorrow during third period in the auditorium. Similar to last year, weather conditions have forced the ceremony to be relocated indoors and a live stream will be available on Ranger Network for teachers to play.

“(There’s a limit) on who can come into the auditorium,” student council president Chesney Gaines said. “Primarily, just veterans and anyone in an organization participating will be allowed.”

The ceremony will begin at 11:20 a.m. and last about an hour beginning with the presentation of colors, the national anthem and a welcome speech. 

“A variety of STUCO officers (will be) speaking,” Gaines said. “One of the things I love doing that I got to do last year was the narration for the song the band does. Taps will be played by one of the trumpets in the band, and the dance team has a lyrical dance they’re doing.”

The Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps will then perform a routine and its commander, senior Nia Hoppstaedter, will give a speech.

“We’re gonna have our color guard present the color and then our drill team, the armed and unarmed, will perform a routine together,” Hoppstaedter said. “Then I’ll be doing the POW (persons of war) and MIA (missing in action) speech.”

Before the ceremony, a brunch will be held in Blue Star Cafe, where veterans will be served food prepared by culinary students. The brunch is open to any members of the community who are either active military or veterans.

“At the brunch, we have all the veterans sign in and tell us what branch they were part of,” Gaines said. “We’ll also deliver brunch to [veteran] teachers.”

Veterans who sign up at the brunch will have their names and branches read aloud at the ceremony.

As a member of NJROTC, Hoppstaedter sees the importance of celebrating veterans to show that even young citizens appreciate them.

“It’s important to recognize the people who have risked their lives for this country and work every day to make sure that it’s safe,” she said, “to show them recognition and to show them that we care even if we’re high school students.”

On a similar note, Gaines feels that celebrating veterans one day of the year is the least we can do.

“Veterans have done so much for our country, and they deserve more than just a thank you,” she said. “(This ceremony) is just a way for us to recognize the veterans for all they’ve done and to remember them for one of the 365 days.”