Students reflect on U.S. veterans and their importance to America
Southeast Alaska Disabled American Veterans sponsored an essay contest entitled, "What Veterans Mean to America."
Juneau students from the third, fourth and fifth grades were asked to research some of our country's history, talk to veterans and write an essay explaining why veterans are so important to America and why should they be remembered on Veterans Day.
Zachary Bursell of Auke Bay Elementary School won first place, Linsey Tomaro of Riverbend Elementary School won second place and Jacob Sanders of Gastineau Elementary School won third place.
What veterans mean to America
By ZACHARY BURSELL
When I think about veterans, I think about all the millions of people that were willing to give up their lives for our country. The veterans were so brave for giving the United States protection both in war and out. Veterans mean a lot me.
The first veteran that I interviewed was Susan Macaulay. She was in the Air Force from 1986 to 1989. She said that she was willing to give up everything in her lifestyle to learn how to work for the government. She said, "I learned how to be a good person and respect the people around me." She wouldn't change anything about the past and her decision to serve her country.
The second veteran that I interviewed was Tad Fujioka. He was in the Army Battalion 442 from 1943 to 1945 (that was during World War II). His parents were Japanese. That is why when he asked to be in the Army Battalion he was sent to a camp because they didn't trust him. Mr. Fujioka did about everything that he could to get into the Army Battalion. When he finally got in, he got to be in World War II and he didn't get shot once.
It is very hard to understand the sacrifices the veterans have given. We get to live in a free country because they believed they would rather have different people living in a good country than have them live in a bad country. Because they believed so deeply in defending the United States for us, we are very lucky.
Why American should remember veterans
By LINSEY TOMARO
I think we should remember what veterans did to help America because veterans made America a safe country to be in.
Now in America, people can do more things that they couldn't do before. Veterans also helped to have freedom in our country. Veterans could have been in the Air Force, Navy, Army or Marines. Even though there are lots of individuals now that are veterans, before they were veterans, they worked as one team. Sometimes people had to leave their families. Some are even dead today but we should still remember the person because they still did something special. They represented our country when they were alive.
If you know of somebody who is a veteran, you would want everybody to remember that person. My Grandpa was a veteran of World War II and was a very special person. I think all veterans should be remembered because they are all special.
Veterans have protected America in the past. But some veterans still do protect America now. Veterans protected us in the past by helping America have more freedom in what we want to do now. They also protected America by making America a safer place to go to on vacation and live in.
So in conclusion, all veterans should be important to America. I wanted to enter this contest because I think veterans are special to America. The people in America should remember every single veteran because veterans represented our country. They made America a safer place to visit and live in. But most importantly, what veterans did is work as a team. They all worked together.
That shows kids and adults how important working together on one team is. So that is why we should remember what veterans did to make America a better place.
What a veteran means to America
By JACOB SANDERS
When I started this project, I didn't know a lot about veterans. To learn about what veterans mean to America, I checked out a book from my school library called "Korean War." I read it with my dad.
I also called three people who were in the Vietnam War and the Korean War. From the books and from talking to these veterans, I learned that veterans are important to America because they protected us from other people who did not like our way of life.
For example, from the book about Korea and from talking to my Grandpa Harold Corbing, I learned that our veterans saved South Korea from North Korea and China. They wanted to take away freedom of choice and their way of life. From talking to Greg Lindsey, our pastor, and Joel Sanders, my uncle, I learned that veterans did the same thing in Vietnam.
Veterans are important to America and to me because they gave us freedom.