Sgt. Bobby Walls, a member of the National Guard, speaks with kindergarten and first and second grade students at Our Lady Help of Christians School in Abington on Veterans Day, Nov. 11.

Posted November 22, 2011

Our Lady Help of Christians School in Abington was honored to have seven veterans, representing all military branches, visit and speak to the children on Veterans Day, Friday, Nov. 11. The day began with a prayer for veterans followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. The first-grade class then led the singing of “God Bless America.”

“It was a great opportunity for our children to learn how these folks served this country and to understand the personal sacrifice they made for all of us,” said Patricia Crossley, kindergarten teacher at Our Lady Help of Christians who designed the program. “It’s a message that must be taught and reinforced. Our country is great because of our veterans.”

 

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Rather than have the veterans address all the students at one time, a veteran visited each class from kindergarten through eighth grade. This format offered the veterans and the children a chance to get to know one another.

“It was a great day to honor our veterans and we were honored to have them come to our school,” said Jack Bellantoni, principal of OLHC. “We are already looking toward next year and ways to make it special.”

Veterans who attended were Sgt. Bobby Walls, retired Master Sgt. Earl Montebello, Charles Greenberg, Tito Paul DiVito, Timothy Neumann, Joseph DiLullo and Joseph Fitzpatrick.