Peabody school kids pay homage to vets

PEABODY – About 100 eighth-graders honored Peabody’s veterans Monday morning during the Higgins Middle School’s first-ever, student-run Veterans Day Program.The students, from the Aquarius cluster, worked together with city officials to organize the hour-long event, which featured guest speakers, taps and performances by the school chorus and JROTC. Veterans sat scattered throughout the auditorium seats, many of whom wore their military uniforms in honor of their special day.Peabody’s Director of Veterans Services Christopher Tighe was the first of three guest speakers to take to the stage. With a large American flag hanging behind him, he urged students to spend time with a veteran, hear their stories and learn what this holiday really means to many of them.”Too many people take these holidays as just a day off,” he said.Veteran of the Iraqi War and current State Trooper David Walsh spoke on behalf of the many thankful soldiers stationed overseas who received care packages from close friends, family and members of their communities.”Those little things really help when you’re so far away,” he said.Next up was Senior Airman Jessica Theriault, a familiar face to many of the students as she also serves as one of the school’s guidance counselors. Dressed in her complete Air Force fatigues, Theriault told students her personal story of why she joined the service.An avid skydiver and hot-air balloon rider, Theriault knew that joining the Air Force was the perfect career choice for her. She shared with students what she learned and gained from living life in the military and how that’s affected who she is today.”Honor your country, respect your veterans, and always appreciate your freedom,” she said.For the veterans in the audience, Monday’s ceremony couldn’t have been more heart-warming.”It was very nice,” said Bill Tager, a former member of the Coast Guard and Navy who served in Europe during World War II. “They put a lot of effort into this.””It’s good to be remembered after all these years,” said Bernie Kelly, who also served in WWII, but was a member of the Army at the time.