NASHUA – Students at Sunset Heights Elementary waved miniature American flags as they gathered in front of the school Friday morning for a Veterans Day assembly.

More than 20 veterans attended the assembly, which featured a performance by the school’s fourth- and fifth-grade chorus.

“It’s really a team effort,” fifth-grade teacher Luane Genest said. “The music teacher has done a whole music program, the art teacher did all the decorations with the kids – you’ll see an incredible American flag when you walk in that the kids did, handprints and pictures and everything.

“A lot of student involvement across every grade level.”

The veterans introduced themselves and explained their connection to the school. Many of the veterans were relatives
of students at Sunset Heights or had attended the school.

“My daughter is in the fourth grade here, my stepson is in third grade and my niece is in kindergarten,” said Tara Chamberland, who served in the Army for six years and also worked for military police.

“And I actually went to the school when I was little.”

Chamberland said she was glad to see that the school decided to hold a Veterans Day assembly once again.

“I thought it was awesome,” she said. “They haven’t done this in awhile. This is something we used to do back at Sunset when I came here and when my mother came here, so to see them bring it back, it was kind of heart-touching.”

Similar tributes and ceremonies were held at schools around the state, including in Hollis, where more than 30 veterans ranging in age from their mid-20s to 95 visited with middle school students. In Merrimack, U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., gave a teacher a flag that flew over the U.S. Capitol.

In Nashua, veteran John Salome, who served in the Marine Corps for 12 years, said he was surprised by the students’ enthusiasm during the assembly. Salome’s son is a third-grade student at the school.

“I thought it was just going to be a little thing in the class where somebody would stand up in front of the class and say a few of words,” he said. “I didn’t know it was going to be a whole big production like this.

“I think it worked out rather well.”

Emily Hoyt can be reached at 594-6402 or ehoyt@nashuatelegraph.com.