Editor’s note: This is part of a series of stories and photos by Neshobe Elementary School students in reaction to their spring spent distance learning.
Odin Waldie (Braeden’s little brother)
I am 7 years old and I have gone to Leicester School for three years. Every Memorial Day our whole school walks down the road to the cemetery. We each carry a flag to wave on the way and most of us bring lilacs to leave on the graves there. We always sing songs and read poems or things we have written. The fourth-graders place a wreath to honor the veterans who have died. Then a bugle plays and we silently listen to “Taps.”
This year because school was closed we honored the soldiers in a different way. A few days before Memorial Day we heard jets flying low over our house and ran outside to see them. (We found out later they were flying from hospital to hospital around Vermont to honor the people working there.) Afterwards I helped my little brother, Silas, make paper airplane jets. We drew flags on the wings. Then Mom helped me make military hats to wear. She read “In Flanders Fields” about all the poppies that grew there. Silas wanted to make paper poppies so she helped him make enough to create a wreath. Inside she wrote “Freedom isn’t Free” and we talked about what that meant. I wrote this poem called “Peace France”:
Great Grandpa Adrian – Army
Great Grampa John – Coast Guard
Grampa Dan – Army
Dad Kevin – Navy
Uncle Reg – Air Force
Me Odin – Peace
Poppies Here
Thank You !
On Memorial Day just before dark we dressed up and put three flags in the ground in front of our lilac bush. Silas placed his wreath in front of them. We put on the hats I made — Navy for our dad and Air Force for our uncle. We stood behind the flags and sang “She’s a Grand Old Flag.” Silas even remembered all the words. (He just turned 6.) I read my poem. We flew our paper jets over the flags and then stood silently while Mom played “Taps” on her cell phone. We walked quietly back inside and got ready for bed. Mom read us my aunt Tara Nielsen’s book “A Soldier Brave and Tall” about all the ways we can be brave soldiers every day without having to go to war.