North Pays Tribute to Veterans, Service Members
Led by the school’s ROTC program, North High School held its annual tribute to the nation’s veterans and service members.
It’s been quite a year on the stage at North High School.
In September the President of the United States dropped in and last weekend performances of Peter Pan wowed audiences.
Those events were fun, exciting, and in some ways even giddy. Thursday morning was different.
North’s fourth annual Veterans Day assembly was solemn and ceremonial by comparison. And rightly so.
The music was moving (recordings of America the Beautiful by Ray Charles, American Anthem by Norah Jones, Goodnight Saigon by Billy Joel and God Bless the USA by Lee Greenwood). But best of all were the live renditions of the Star Spangled Banner and God Bless America by the North High Choir.
There were dignitaries, most notably Governor Terry Branstad, himself a veteran of MP service from 1969-72. More importantly there were dozens of vets from all branches of military service. One in particular was Warren R. Rowe who served in the Air Force during WWII and was presented with the American flag that was used for a demonstration and explanation of the 13 military folds.
In both contrast and comradeship to Mr. Rowe was North Marine JROTC Cadet Sgt. Major Ryan Nguyen, a teenager who was born in Viet Nam and will be sworn in as an American Citizen next month. He led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Why was the event scheduled for today? Yesterday was Veterans Day.
“Because there were so many observances to choose from yesterday,” explained North JROTC Major and Senior Marine Instructor, Sean Quinlan. And that’s a good thing. But it’s also a good thing that this emerging tradition at North stands alone as a culmination.
Typically the reviews of large public events are gauged by the frequency and duration of ovations they generate. But in this case reverential silence broken only by an emotional sniff or the barked, clipped commands to drill teams and color guards makes a better barometer.
They were 45 minutes that will last at least the day. When they were over the flags outside, and there were a lot of them, flapped loudly in winds stiff as the stare of a soldier at attention. They looked positively giddy .
