CCES Middle School Reflects on Veterans Day

Christ Church Episcopal School observes Veterans Day in a variety of ways each year throughout each division, remembering those who have served in the United State military. This year, Lower and Middle School students read America’s White Table by Margot Raven and set up their own white table and wrote letters to local veterans’ homes. The Middle School also held an assembly in Rooke Theater to honor the brave men and women who have made innumerable sacrifices to protect this country.

 

Head of Middle School, Hamilton Parks, opened with a welcome to all CCES Middle School students, faculty, and guests. He was followed by The Pledge of Allegiance, led by Sebastien Salamin ’27, and the singing of The National Anthem, performed by the 6^th and 7^th grade choir.

 

James Greco, 5^th and 6^th Grade Dean of Student Life, introduced Ben Brownlee, Lydia Greer, Charlie Lowrance, and Campbell Miller, students from the Class of 2028, who prepared essays on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Mr. Greco shared that these students will have the “distinct honor” of laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider in the Arlington National Cemetery on the 7^th Grade trip to Washington, DC next week. Ben, Lydia, Charlie, and Campbell reflected on the history of the tomb as well as the freedoms and opportunities this country enjoys as a result of our military’s courage and selfless dedication. Each student considers it an honor and a privilege to be selected to lay wreaths in honor and remembrance of those who have fought or are continuing to fight for this country.

 

To close the assembly, students heard from current CCES parent Colonel Christopher Bourne, US Marine Corps (Ret.), father to Sofia ’23, Evan ’29, and Anya ’29. Col. Bourne served in active-duty for 28 years, leading security and combat operations for multiple tours, as well as serving in the Department of Housing and Urban Development as HUD’s first Deputy Assistant Secretary for Innovation. He currently provides consulting services for innovative business development and strategy.

 

Col. Bourne opened with some history on Veterans Day and then reflected on some of his experiences, having served from 1982 – 2010 as an infantry officer. He said, “Part of what makes veterans special is they were ready to serve whenever, wherever, and however they were needed.” He shared about his unit helping in the Philippines after the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991 and his ship immediately setting out for the Middle East after hearing about 9/11. He recalled how those two experiences and many others taught him to “expect the unexpected.”   

 

Col. Bourne closed with some statistics about veterans in the United States and in South Carolina specifically. He shared that there are over 320,000 veterans in South Carolina who served in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and the War on Terror. In South Carolina, ten percent of adult males and fifteen percent of adult females are veterans, both higher than the national average. Col. Bourne encouraged students to be mindful of the many veterans they probably see in public – at the grocery store or at the mall – and explained that these men and women often come back with both physical and psychological wounds.

 

“What Veterans Day means to me is remembering the service and the sacrifice of those who went before us and who pledge all that they had in the defense of our great country and the freedoms we cherish,” shared Col. Bourne. “Regardless of how long they served, where they served, or where they ever served in war, their commitment to our country is worthy of praise.”

 

The assembly was a poignant way to remember and honor the many men and women who have served in the military. It was a time of reflection on the immense gratitude we have for our veterans and the many sacrifices they and their families have made on behalf of this country. Thank you to all in the CCES community who have served and happy Veterans Day.