Los Paseos’ staff and students brought more than 50 veterans to
school for a moving and memorable assembly to honor veterans in a
program fashioned after the History Channel’s
”
Take a Vet to School.
”
Los Paseos’ staff and students brought more than 50 veterans to school for a moving and memorable assembly to honor veterans in a program fashioned after the History Channel’s “Take a Vet to School.” Cub Pack #248 and Girl Scout Troop #60538 opened the assembly with a flag ceremony accompanied by Angelina Madriaga, a second grader, singing “The National Anthem.”
Student council officers entered with a parade of large photos of veterans followed by greetings from District #2, San Jose City Councilman, Ash Kalra, and an emotional talk by parent and vet, Fred Brown, about what it means to be a veteran.
The students watched one of the Stories of Service from the Digital Clubhouse, “We Did What Had to be Done – the Home Front,” a story of Edith Walter, mother of teacher Margaret Rodrigues. Walter was a teenager during WWII who had three brothers serving in the Signal Corp at Pearl Harbor, and landing on the beaches of Normandy. Her surviving brother, Henry Mattos, a decorated runner with the 45th Infantry and survivor of the Normandy Invasion, proudly displayed his Purple Heart. Skip Adams, a veteran of the invasion of Iwo Jima, arrived in full dress Marine uniform wearing the 11 battle medals he earned fighting. Mary Patterson, mother of teacher Becky Pusateri, was in attendance with her army uniform worn while serving in Paris during WWII.
An inspirational part of the program was the tribute to the American Flag performed by the Travis Air Base Honor Guard. Students sat in silence when more than 70 names were read of veterans connected to Los Paseos as a pair of empty boots, representing all of the fallen heroes, sat solemnly next to the American flag. The students thanked the vets for their service through thank you notes and the “pay it forward” philosophy of donating shoe boxes of goodies and Christmas cards to the current troops. The morning concluded with the singing of the “Armed Forced Medley.”
“I was honored to be invited to her school and found the experience very touching,” said Mervin Yue, grandfather of Student Council President Madison Doutt.
