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Posted on Sat, May 26, 2012 : 5:58 a.m.

Scarlett Middle School program: 'We should .. say thank you to those people who have given the ultimate sacrifice'

By Katrease Stafford

Scarlett Middle School in Ann Arbor hosted a Memorial Day ceremony Friday to pay homage to those who have served in the military.

The school invited two active military members, Marine Sergeant Bao Lee and Navy Petty Officer First Class James Penney, to speak and share their experiences with sixth, seventh and eighth graders.

Lee said it is necessary for children to be aware of the monumental sacrifices made.

“It’s important to honor service members who have given their lives,” Lee said.

Penney, who is a Scarlett and Huron High School graduate, said he agreed to participate in the event because he wanted the students to be aware of how fortunate they are to be in the United States.

“It’s important to recognize the freedoms we have,” Penney said. “ A lot places are very different from us.”

Lee and Penney were presented with plaques by the school to thank them for their service to the community.

English teacher Salvador Barrientes organized the event because he felt students should learn and understand the true meaning of the day. Barrientes served as a Marine from 1998 to 2005.

“This holiday is especially important to me and my family,” Barrientes said. “I was in the Marines many years before I became a teacher and we’re very blessed to be where we are and to live in this country and that comes at a great price.”

Principal Gerald Vazquez said he’s been at the school for more than two years and this was the first time an actual ceremony was held. He has plans to do more in the coming years.

“We’re hoping it can be an annual thing and we’re going to reach out to service people from Washtenaw County,” Vasquez said. “It was a good opportunity for us to break bread with the military.”

Barrientes explained to the filled auditorium that the day off from school is much more than just a day to relax.

“We should look back and say thank you to those people who have given the ultimate sacrifice— their lives,” Barrientes said. “Anyone that you know is in the military, tell them thank you.”

Barrientes said many of the students were looking forward to participating in the ceremony.

“Many of the kids were excited,” he said. “They kept asking who was coming to speak.”

During the presentation, a video was played to show how hard it is for families who lose their loved ones.

“With children, the notion of someone being gone is difficult, so I think if we can get them to recognize that people paid this ultimate price and that we have liberties because of these people, we did our job,” Vasquez said.

Chances to show thankfulness are abound, Vasquez said.

“There are lots of opportunities to be patriotic and we should seize those opportunities,” he said. “Our kids need to hear that over and over because I think sometimes it’s easy to forget.”

Comments

eagleman

Sun, May 27, 2012 : 1:46 a.m.

I extend my thanks to the young men and women who serve our nation. But I express my deepest gratitude for all those who served this land nobly in our just and unjust wars.Yours , as Tennyson so eloquently put it, was not to question why, but to do or die. To those readers who call soldiers murders, I say this: You have the right to do so ONLY because someone fought for the creation of a Republic that has a Constitution that enshrines your right to freedom of speech in a law that is guaranteed by force.

J. A. Pieper

Sat, May 26, 2012 : 6:54 p.m.

Thank you Petty Officer First Class James Penney for visiting our schools and sharing the importance of what the military does for our country. Maybe you can visit your sons' schools sometime!

jns131

Sat, May 26, 2012 : 4:42 p.m.

I'm surprised they didn't ask Mr White in. He is a decorated soldier as well.

Basic Bob

Sat, May 26, 2012 : 3:02 p.m.

The First Decoration Day (1865) "This was the first Memorial Day. African Americans invented Memorial Day in Charleston, South Carolina. What you have there is black Americans recently freed from slavery announcing to the world with their flowers, their feet, and their songs what the War had been about. What they basically were creating was the Independence Day of a Second American Revolution." [David W. Blight, Race and Reunion: The Civil War in American Memory]

Beth

Sat, May 26, 2012 : 2:13 p.m.

AnnArbor.com - thanks for the recent positive articles about Scarlett. They're nice to see - keep it up, please!

boo

Sat, May 26, 2012 : 1:01 p.m.

THANK YOU! We should honor our soldiers and our teachers. It sounds like Mr. Berrientes and Mr. Vasquez are teaching very important lessons at Scarlett.

Marine98

Sun, May 27, 2012 : 2:32 a.m.

Your welcome. :)

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