Veterans Day was celebrated throughout North Royalton Schools, especially at the elementary schools.
In the Saint Albert the Great Church Parish Hall, Army Staff Sgt. Scott Madzia holds his daughter, Emmalynn, close as she snuggles into his uniform during a program honoring Veterans Day.
“It means a lot that they do this because it takes a lot of effort,” Madzia says as he looks around at a display of commemorative student-written essays and collection of military heirlooms and items.
By “this,” he’s referring to a yearly Veterans Day Military Salute organized by Saint Albert the Great School Teacher Barbara “Barb” Barbo with assistance from Social Studies Teacher Sandi Lepi and others in the church and school community.
It’s a profound sentiment that Madzia makes, because he too is doing something that takes a lot of effort and ultimately, that’s exactly what Veterans Day is all about; recognizing and honoring those who have and are serving. The honorary day and its commemorative activities can be especially important for young children, like those at Saint Albert the Great and the local city schools.
“I’m still in the reserves so she sees me in my uniform,” Madzia said of his young daughter. “But it’s still difficult (to keep that level of engagement) one based on age and two because we don’t have many active duty service stations in the Cleveland area, so keeping these memorials that we do have are important and helps keep that reminder.”
“I was a history teacher and I know that if we don’t learn from the past, we face a troubling future,” Barbo said. “We have our freedoms today because of all the warriors of the past. Even now, soldiers die and people don’t take notice. It gets lost. We do this to be proactive and so we’re more aware of the sacrifices the military makes.”
As part of their social studies curriculum, Saint Albert sixth-graders research and seek out a veteran to interview. They compile what they learned into an essay.
“Henry was 18 when he left for training camp for World War II,” remarked one Saint Albert sixth grader picked to read her essay aloud. “Camp was strenuous, and Henry quickly learned that it was ‘kill or be killed.’”
The salute also featured a special worship service followed by breakfast, narratives, patriotic song and remarks from school and civic organization leaders like Retired United States Air Force Colonel Robert Pecoraro, retired U.S. Army Sergeant and Ohio Liaison for the Veterans Relief Organization of Ohio Wally Ohler and Mike Swallow, president and founding member of The Northeast Ohio Foundation for Patriotism (NEOPAT). Swallow presented four $500 scholarships to deserving Saint Albert students.
“I think we all can agree that in today’s day and age, we could find more patriots and patriotism, and that the world could be a better place,” Swallow said. “I ask you today to find ways to bring patriotism into your home. Have conversations with your children. When you understand what makes this country great, it’s the men and women who are in this room and have served. There’s something special about being part of something bigger than yourself and patriotism is one of those things.”
North Royalton’s three elementary schools honored Veterans Day in their own special ways as well, including a flag collection and presentation at Royal View, a reception and photos at Albion and assembly at Valley Vista featuring patriotic song, essay readings, recognition of veterans, among other honorary activities.
On Friday, November 9, Royal View Elementary honored Veterans Day by holding a “Red, White & Blue Day” celebration. The day began with an assembly where students recited the Pledge of Allegiance and sang patriotic songs. Student Council representatives also did a presentation about Veterans Day and read thank you poems. To honor first responders, the student body then sang the song, “One Call Away.” Third- and fourth-grade Royal Ambassadors and Student Council representatives presented the veterans with flowers and stars that had been cut from old, tattered American flags that Royal View had collected in September. The assembly also included a moment of silence for American troops. Refreshments were offered afterward.
On November 12, Valley Vista Elementary honored veterans who served our country by holding a school-wide program. The celebration began with a welcome from Principal Jeff Hill and a presentation of colors by North Royalton Cub Scout Pack 218. Students and staff sang “America the Beautiful” and recited the Pledge of Allegiance. The third-grade Student Council gave a history of Veterans Day before guest speakers addressed the school.
The first speaker was 2nd Lt. Anita Ballash-Podlogar, who is also mother of two Valley Vista Elementary students. The second speaker was Taylor Fyffe, who recently completed flight school with the Air Force. They gave accounts of their experience in the military and a woman’s role in the armed forces. The fourth graders then read essays, and a video was shown entitled, “H is for Honor.”
Valley Vista Elementary honored veterans who served our country by holding a school-wide program. The celebration began with a welcome from Principal Jeff Hill and a presentation of colors by North Royalton Cub Scout Pack 218. Students and staff sang “America the Beautiful” and recited the Pledge of Allegiance. The third-grade Student Council gave a history of Veterans Day before guest speakers addressed the school.
After Hill recognized the veterans, he dedicated a new flag to the honored guests, which will be flown every day at Valley Vista Elementary. The flag was purchased with anonymous donations from a veteran who has attended the program in the past.
Cub Scout Pack 218 retired the colors to bring the program to a close. Refreshments were provided for the honored guests, courtesy of the PTA.
Albion Elementary provided a delicious continental breakfast and reception for veterans and students on November 12. At the breakfast, veterans were able to receive a complimentary 4×6 photo taken by Inter-State Studios. Following the breakfast, a presentation of colors was held outside the school around the flagpole. After the presentation, there was an hour-long program honoring the veterans in the gym.

By SARA MACHO HILL
Contributing Writer