Veterans Program

Lassiter High School project pays tribute to country's veterans

(Tuesday, November 11, 2003 3:56 AM EST)

By David Burch
Marietta Daily Journal Staff Writer

EAST COBB - In an effort to make the observance of Veterans Day more relevant to the lives of high school students, one Lassiter High School teacher asked students to write down the name of a friend or relative who served in the military at some point.

The result was more than 1,500 names, each written on a star made of white construction paper, that students assembled into a 6-by-10-foot American flag hung inside the school.

English teacher Elizabeth MacDonald, who organized the project, said the flag helps create a personal connection to veterans for students who have been relatively unaffected by war most of their lifetimes.

"The lives that are represented up there, they're friends, Lassiter High School graduates who were here just six months ago," she said. "In fact, I know there is one star up there of a kid who left just two weeks ago who graduated last year. It makes it real."

The project ties into Lassiter's character education program. The flag will remain in place until the end of this week.

On Wednesday, Lassiter also plans to host soldiers from Fort McPherson in Atlanta who recently returned from the war with Iraq.

Other schools in the area also got involved with the project, with students from Shallowford Falls and Rocky Mount elementary schools and from Mabry and Simpson middle schools helping to cut out scores of paper stars.

"When you do something hands-on, it brings them into the action," Ms. MacDonald said. "Participation makes it much more relevant."

Sophomore Ben Thomason, 15, chose to write the name of his cousin Justin Thomason on his star. A soldier in the Army, Justin was recently deployed, but Ben said he does not know where.

"He was just sent overseas during the war (in Iraq)," Ben said. "He was just the first person that came into my mind."

Senior Nancy Monroe, 17, chose to honor her grandfather, Charles Monroe Sr., who served as a Naval pilot during the period between the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

"He was just a person I felt needed to be honored since he helped serve our country," she said.

Eric Harrison, a 16-year-old senior, decided to honor two people - his friend Jesse Ranor, an active duty Naval recruit stationed in California and his grandfather Conrad Wynne, a sailor with the Navy during World War II.

"I wanted to show that they gave up time in their lives to serve their country when it needed them the most," he said.

dburch@mdjonline.com