OCT. 30, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:Megan Overman, Public Information Officer
Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District
817-251-5503

Students, staff to honor veterans with variety of activities

Campuses throughout GCISD will honor our nation’s veterans and military personnel through a variety of Veterans Day assemblies and activities. U.S. veterans are invited to attend and be recognized at any or all of these events. Check with individual campuses for a complete list of specific activities.

Grapevine High School – Grapevine High presents its annual Veterans Day program, “A Tribute to Veterans,” on Thursday, Nov. 8, with activities scheduled throughout the morning. This year’s tribute is held in memory of William Howe Steward, U.S. Army veteran of World War II and Korea, and recipient of a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts. The day kicks off at 8 a.m. with a flag-raising ceremony in front of the school followed at 8:30 a.m. with a “Red Carpet Walk of Honor.” Breakfast for veterans begins at 9 a.m. in the GHS library with guest speaker Mr. John Hayes, Military and Veterans Affairs Liaison for Congressman Kenny Marchant, 24th Congressional District in Texas. The annual assembly will take place in the Madeleine Hemley Auditorium beginning at 10:15 a.m. The program will feature guest speaker, Mr. Tom Wilson, who served in the U.S. Air Force and flew A-10 Warthogs during the Persian Gulf War. Students, staff and visitors are invited to the GHS Ecology Center for a special garden memorial dedication at the conclusion of the assembly. Information: Debbie Cullum, 817-251-5210.

Grapevine Middle School – Students in Grapevine Middle’s Teen Leadership classes have adopted platoons of soldiers who are currently deployed in Iraq. Students are collecting items such as toothpaste, shampoo, canned food and DVDs to send, and are encouraged to write notes or cards to include in the care packages. Donations are being accepted in the GMS front office. The school is also accepting donations of used cell phones or inkjet cartridges, which will be recycled and the money used to defray costs of shipping the care packages. For a list of suggested care packages, visit http://www.adoptaplatoon.org/new/pdf/care.pdf.

In addition, the GMS Student council is making quilts that will be sent to military hospitals for wounded soldiers. All GMS students will participate in this endeavor by creating a quilt square, and donations of cotton or muslin fabric, thread and quilt batting are appreciated. Information: 817-251-5660.

NEW! Colleyville Middle School – Seventh-graders at CMS will have a special flag-raising ceremony at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 12 to fly a flag over the school that was flown over the headquarters of the Multi-National Corps in Iraq. The flag was sent to students in Sherry David's Discoveries classes in response to letters the students wrote to soldiers during Celebrate Freedom Week. Maj. Derek Tillemans sent the flag and a certificate to the class, and asked that they fly the flag over their school one day. Information: 817-251-5503.

Bear Creek Elementary – The Bear Creek choir will perform “Welcome Home,” “Fifty Nifty States” and “My Flag” as the school gathers outside the building at 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 12. Veterans in attendance will be honored with words of thanks for their service. Photos and a question-and-answer session will follow the program. Information: 817-305-4860.

Colleyville Elementary - Third graders at CES will present a program on Nov. 15 called  "We Are Thankful" which includes songs about the school, pilgrims, family, food, football, and will feature America the Beautiful. Veterans in the audience will be recognized.

Dove Elementary – A campus-wide assembly will honor veterans on Friday, Nov. 9.

Glenhope Elementary – Family members, friends and neighbors from South Colleyvine Ranch retirement community are invited to attend the GHES veterans program on Nov. 9. There will be a wall of honor featuring photographs of armed forces veterans collected by students. The Glenhope choir will perform for kindergarten, first and second grade at 8:15 a.m. and grades three, four and five at 9:15 a.m. Information: 817-251-5720.

Heritage Elementary – Students, staff and invited guests will gather around the front circle of the school at 8:30 a.m. on Nov.9 for a flag-raising, special music and words of remembrance. All students will be involved in presenting patriotic songs. The Colleyville Heritage High band will play the National Anthem and CHHS student Tyler Knox will accompany all groups on piano. Veterans will then be honored at a reception in the library. Information: 817-305-4820.

O.C. Taylor Elementary – First-graders will kick off the week with a patriotic parade through the school at 8:15 a.m. on Nov. 5. A special Veterans Day program will begin at 8:30 a.m. Nov. 9 and will honor all men and women who have served or are currently serving our country. The USMC Color Guard will present the colors and third- and fourth-graders will perform patriotic songs. The percussion section from Cross Timbers Middle School, under the leadership of Asa Burk, will perform. Guest speakers will be Clayton Isaac Castleberry of the U.S. Navy and Arthur Taylor Griffen, a former sergeant in the U.S. Army. Veterans and current military personnel are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Along with the program, O.C. Taylor is participating in “Operation Santa” to fill and send holiday stockings to 190 deployed Marines. Donations of items and/or funds to assist with shipping costs are being accepted at the front office of the school until Nov. 9. Information: 817-305-4870.

Silver Lake Elementary – Guest speaker Dana Bowman, a retired Sergeant First Class with the U.S. Army, will visit the school on Nov. 9. He will make quite an entrance as he parachutes on to the back field of the school near where students are gathered to watch. After he lands, he will present a patch and coins to GCISD Superintendent Kay Waggoner, Silver Lake Principal Lisa Dunn and Assistant Principal Anita Clayton. Following the Veterans Day program, Bowman exit on a helicopter. Information: 817-251-5750.

Note: Activities are scheduled all week at campuses throughout GCISD. Please contact individual campuses for a list of campus-specific events.