Carey Jordan – Loveland, Colorado … For the first time in recent school history, students and staff from HMS Richards Adventist School (HMS) joined the Loveland community for the annual Veterans Day Parade, November 11. Fifty-seven students in kindergarten through eighth grade enjoyed a memorable morning of gratitude, celebration, and service.
The parade began at 11:11 a.m., a meaningful reminder of Veterans Day history. On November 11, 1918, an armistice brought the fighting in World War I to a halt at 11:00 a.m.—the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. Today, Veterans Day honors all who have served in the United States Armed Forces.
The HMS students came prepared to do more than watch a parade. They brought over 70 small gifts with notes of appreciation to personally thank veterans for their service, distributing all but five throughout the morning.
Before the parade, teachers and staff helped students learn how to show genuine respect and gratitude by looking veterans in the eye, shaking their hands, and sincerely saying, “Thank you for your service.” These simple gestures became meaningful lessons in kindness, respect, and thankfulness. “We want our students to understand that gratitude is more than something we say; it is something we demonstrate through our actions,” remarked Carey Jordan, HMS principal.
She continued, “The excitement was contagious as students waved their American Flags, cheered, and enthusiastically shouted, ‘USA! USA!’ Another special highlight was seeing students from our very own Campion Academy playing bells in the parade to honor veterans! We were also thrilled to recognize veterans from our own community participating in the celebration.”
At HMS Richards Adventist School, school leaders believe that education extends beyond the classroom. Experiences like this help the students develop Christ-centered character through service, gratitude, and respect for others.
“What a wonderful morning of learning and celebration!” praised Jordan. “To every veteran, from all of us at HMS Richards Adventist School: Thank you for your service! We are grateful for your sacrifices and for the freedoms we enjoy because of your dedication to our country.”
—Carey Jordan is the HMS Richards Adventist School principal. Photos supplied.
