After the COVID-19 pandemic forced last year’s Veterans Day event into a virtual celebration, the Frankstown community was thrilled to welcome service members back to the school this week, school leaders said.

“Last year, we had to get extra creative to honor our veterans in a fully virtual way,” special education teacher Suzannah Cannon said. “This year, it’s exciting because we are able to welcome our veterans, still in a COVID-safe way, at our school.”

About 30 family members of Frankstown students who were or are service members attended the celebration in which veterans and their students watched a student-made video in the school’s large group instruction room. The same video was broadcast to each class in the building.

Frankstown Principal William Madden introduced the video, telling students, “This is a pretty special group of veterans because they are connected to us in some way.”

Frankstown Elementary School fourth grader Madelyn Harr hugs her father, U.S. Air Force veteran Dewey Harr Jr., as they and her sister, Leah, a sixth grader, wait to be introduced during the Parade of Heroes. Mirror photo by Andrew Mollenauer

Derek Trimmer, Frankstown librarian/STEM teacher, helped students create the video.

“The whole building came together to create a great video honoring our veterans,” he said. “It really was a building-wide effort, from the PTO helping to decorate, to the grade levels having students help out with signs for the veterans, to the students appearing in the video itself.”

After the video, veterans and their family members participated in the Parade of Heroes — an event where about 700 students lined the sidewalk in front of the school and cheered and waved flags as the veterans and their family members walked by.

“It’s exciting for all of us that we can actually bring veterans to our school this year,” Cannon said, adding that members of the school’s Community Service Club made each veteran a small gift to express their appreciation.

The Community Service Club, which Cannon founded this year, consists of about 45 third through sixth graders. The Veterans Day events and appreciation video are one of the members’ first major projects and their first community service project.

Frankstown Elementary School second graders (from right) Ryder Black, Laura Warmath, Aleena Vinglas and Rylan Yost (obscured) wave their flags during the Parade of Heroes on Wednesday at the school. Mirror photo by Cynthia Wise

Cannon said the group discussed veterans and the role they play in the community.

“We learned about integrity and talked about what veterans are and how they have to have integrity to do what they do for us,” she said. “They learned it’s important for them to also have that same kind of integrity.”

Cannon said she was most proud of students’ responses to a project she initiated that was designed to get kids thinking about the role of veterans and service members in their own lives.

Called “My Military Hero,” the projects covered the walls of Frankstown’s entryway with pictures and descriptions of the service members in students’ families.

One section of the profile is called, “Why I Am Proud.”

Frankstown Elementary School third grader Micah Hileman smiles after getting a high five from Frankie, the school mascot, on Wednesday during the Parade of Heroes. Mirror photo by Cynthia Wise

“It really makes kids think about why it’s important to be a service member,” Cannon said. “Their responses show the connection they made with their family member.”

Veterans Day committee member Nicci Stultz, gifted program teacher, was also impressed by the connections students made.

“The biggest thing is that it’s cool to be a part of helping students make a connection about why our veterans are so important,” Stultz said.

Frankstown’s Veterans Day event helps make it “relevant and real” for young students who may not have any experience with the sacrifices military members make every day, Stultz said.

The “My Military Hero” projects included descriptions written in the student’s own handwriting.

Frankstown Elementary School special education teacher Suzannah Cannon cheers for veterans and their school-age family members during the Parade of Heroes on Wednesday in Hollidaysburg. Mirror photo by Cynthia Wise

Third grade student Sebastian Maiorano said his hero is his great-grandpa Peter Jafferakos, who served in the Army. “He jumped out of planes and built bridges and roadways for other branches of military to use,” Sebastian said.

For Leah Bartley, a second grade student, her aunt Christine “protected our country in Iraq. She helped build schools.”

First grader Maddie Richards said her hero is Joseph Richards, otherwise known as Daddy. He served in the Army and “he helped keep people safe.”

Katelyn Stevens, a third grader, said Curtis Stevens is her hero. “He volunteered in the Army to fight for our country and to save it. And I love my father. And he loves me.”

Matty Sweeney, a fifth grader, learned about his great-great-uncle Michael Fanella and chose to recognize him as his hero.

Frankstown Elementary School third graders Vada Stevens (right) and Kalie Nagle watch the Parade of Heroes on Wednesday at the school. Mirror photo by Cynthia Wise

“He decided to enlist in the Army even after a war had started,” Matty wrote. “He ended up losing his life at just 21 years old on May 30, 1944, in Italy.”

In years past, Frankstown would have veterans from the Hollidaysburg Veterans Home come visit for an assembly, but the pandemic changed all that.

While assemblies are out, Stultz said she was grateful that the school was able to have classmates’ family members visit, adding that it gave the event an even more personal touch.

“It’s not just grandparents. We have a number of students whose parents are current military members,” she said. “It helps students realize the sacrifices their own classmates may be making by having a service member in their family.

“They’re choosing to protect our freedoms,” Stultz said, “and thank God that they do.”

Howard West, an Army veteran of 30 years, joined his grandson, Kielan Williams, for the event Wednesday afternoon.

“It’s an honor,” he said. “It’s nice to see the kids are being taught to respect the veterans and what we do.”

Army Veteran Jason Schneeberger was escorted by his son, Adam, and neighbor, Riley Miller, throughout the event. Schneeberger said it was an honor to be present for the event and receive such a warm welcome from the community.

“It’s unbelievable that the school does this,” Schneeberger said. “I think we should definitely tie the kids into patriotism so that we continue to be a free country.”

The event was bittersweet, though, as Schneeberger said his father, who served in Vietnam, recently died.

“It’s the first Veterans Day I haven’t been able to say happy Veterans Day to him,” he said.

Mirror staff writer Andrew Mollenauer contributed to this article.

Frankstown Elementary School second grader Aleena Vinglas watches as the veterans begin their walk during the Parade of Heroes at the school Wednesday in Hollidaysburg. Mirror photo by Cynthia Wise

Matthew Swartz, (left) and Kenlie Krug, both third graders, read the profiles of their classmates’ military heroes in the entryway of Frankstown Elementary School. Mirror photo by Cynthia Wise

The entryway at Frankstown Elementary School in Hollidaysburg is decorated with tributes to students’ military heroes. Mirror photo by Cynthia Wise