It was a sea of red, white, and blue as veterans and their families filled tables on the floor of the P.E. Wallace Middle School Gym on Friday, November 10. The Wallace Middle School 26th annual Veterans Day Program honored local veterans with lunch, music, gifts, and moments of appreciation. Wallace students and MPHS Student Council members served the veterans and their families while they were entertained by music from the past played by the MPHS Jazz Band. Local businesses donated gift cards and gifts that were presented to the audience members as door prizes.

Wallace fifth grader Khloe Castro offered the blessing. MPHS freshman, Cooper Rider, with Wallace sixth graders, Hudson Rider and Robby James, of Boy Scout Troop 6101, posted and retrieved the American and Texas flags while Wallace Student Council Vice President, Ulisses Mata, led the pledges. Wallace Student Council President, Jimmy Aguilar, offered a word of welcome to the guests and his fellow classmates who had entered and created a living American flag in the stands of the Wallace gym. After the welcome, Wallace students Braylee Noguera (Army), Camilo Ramirez (Navy), Kelvin Garcia (Coast Guard), Scottlyn Lee (Marines), and Kodi Baldwin (Air Force) presented the military branch flags while the Wallace Honor Choir sang the song of each and veterans stood for their branch. Wallace student Melanie Valle presented the POW-MIA flag which was accompanied by a moment of silence.

Chloe Mancera, fifth-grade student, introduced E. Ridley Briggs, to give this year’s Veteran’s Address. Briggs was born in Paris, TX in 1933 and graduated from Texas A&M University in 1954. He flew fighter jets in the United States Air Force and has over 2,000 hours of jet fighter time. He ultimately received his master’s degree from Texas A&M and entered the banking profession in 1963. Briggs told the students that they had no idea the potential within each one of them and compared them to John Gillespie Magee, Jr. Magee wrote the poem High Flight at just nineteen-years-old. It is now the official poem of the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Royal Air Force and must be recited from memory by fourth class cadets at the United States Air Force Academy. Portions of the poem appear on many of the headstones in Arlington National Cemetery, and it is inscribed in full on the back of the Space Shuttle Challenger Memorial.

The program was full of music provided by the MPHS Jazz Band, the Wallace 5th and 6th grade Honor Choirs, and the “Andrews Sisters” made up of Brice music teacher Nan Verner, Wallace 504 Coordinator Tracie Johnson, MPHS Choir accompanist Deanna Warren, MPHS Choir Director Nancy Vines, MPISD Band Director Alicia Hargett, and Wallace music teacher Diane Swiger on piano. MPHS teacher, Landon Johnson, gave a solo performance of God Bless the U.S.A. MPISD Band Director, Karen Luckett, and her twin sister, Kirby Merritt, sang God Bless America. Wallace Middle School teacher, Jason Barfield, played “Reveille” and MPHS senior, Orion Senence, played “Taps” to open and close the program.

Military widows, active military members, military mothers, and recipients of military awards for Valor and Purple Hearts were honored. Special recognition was given to U.S. Navy veteran Ellis Moore, now ninety-nine-years-old, who served in World War II and was present in the audience. Moore told the audience this was his 26th time to attend the Wallace Veteran’s Day celebration.

Sixth grade student Noah Branton was recognized for his Pilot Club award-winning essay, “I’m Proud to be an American.” Pilot Club member Becky Meriwether presented Branton a certificate and a $75 check for writing the winning essay.

Wallace Principal, Nathan Rider, concluded the program with, “On behalf of Wallace Middle School and MPISD, I would like to thank all of you who currently serve or have served this great nation. We sincerely appreciate the sacrifices that you have made to protect our freedom. I would also like to thank everyone who participated in making this event possible. Veterans, I hope you all enjoyed the program and hope to see you all next year.”

Photos:

1: Wallace students form a living United States flag
2: Wallace principal, Nathan Rider (left), recognizes World War II veteran, Ellis Moore
3: MPHS freshman, Cooper Rider (center), and Wallace sixth graders, Hudson Rider (left) and Robby James (right), of Boy Scout Troop 6101, retrieve the American and Texas flags
4: Noah Branton (left) receives his certificate and check from Becky Meriwether for winning the Pilot Club Essay contest
5: The MPHS Jazz Band provides entertainment before the program
6: Wallace student, Jaicee Amador, presents the POW-MIA flag accompanied by a moment of silence
7: Wallace Honor Choir
8: Scottlyn Lee presents the flag of the United States Marines Corp
9: Air Force veteran, E. Ridley Briggs, salutes the flag at the conclusion of the program