St. Mary's Students Honor Veterans with Program

St. Mary Catholic Community School held its annual Veterans Day Program this Friday. Local veterans were welcomed to the school with thank-you cards made by the students before being led by a procession of Girl and Boy Scouts into the gym, where they were met with a roaring standing ovation.  St. Mary's Pastor, Father Peter Muha, led students, staff, and those visiting in prayer to begin the program.

The students lifted their voices in song, performing each of the five branch anthems to recognize the veterans of each respective service. Student Council President Sean Johansson gave a wonderful introduction to the program, sharing the history of Veterans Day and the importance of honoring both current and past members of our Armed Forces.

The keynote address was given by Vietnam veteran and double Purple Heart recipient SP4 John Nieman of the U.S. Army. Mr. Nieman's son Brad, is the Dean of Students and grandson Jacob is a 2nd grader at the school.  St. Mary’s music teacher, Tony Rossi, led the choir and audience in a lively rendition of Woody Guthrie’s The Sinking of the Reuben James to honor all fallen heroes who served our country, before closing the program with a prayer and a song for peace.

Festivities continued after the retiring of the colors with a reception featuring refreshments and time for students to thank the veterans individually for their service.

St. Mary Catholic Community School in Crown Point offers grade levels from Junior Pre-Kindergarten (for three-year-olds) through eighth grade. In addition to being ardent supporters of the arts, St. Mary’s faculty provides a rich curriculum supported by cutting-edge technology. Faith, Academic Excellence, Life Lessons, and Compassion are the pillars of the school. To learn more about St. Mary School, visit school.stmarycp.org.