Local elementary schools honors veterans with appreciation assembly

On Monday, Nov. 10, J.G. Johnson Elementary held an appreciation assembly in preparation for Veterans Day to honor those who served in the military.

“It really just warms my heart because we do a lot of lessons on Veterans Day stuff,” J.G. Johnson teacher Tammy Anderson told the Pahrump Valley Times after the assembly. “So the kids, when they get out there and they perform, they’re giving their heart out there.”

The Veterans Appreciation Assembly started at 1:30 p.m.; 100 people attended the Monday afternoon event. Before the assembly officially started, family, friends and veterans filed into the gym and took their seats. Anderson was the event’s main organizer; she offered opening and closing statements during the ceremony.

“I want to offer our deepest and most sincere gratitude for your service. Your courage, your dedication, and the sacrifices you and your families have made in the defense of our freedoms, represents the very best of our nation,” Anderson said at the beginning of the assembly.

During the event, each grade level at J.G. Johnson provided a tribute to the troops. Kindergarten students performed a poem titled “Grand Ole Flag.” First-grade students read the poem “When You See a Soldier.” Second- through fifth-grade students read out military branch hymns. Fourth-grade students performed the “I Have a Little Poppy” poem.

“They know what it means, to the best of their ability at their age level, what a veteran is and what’s happening and how we have our freedom because of it,” Anderson added after the ceremony. “So it just warms my heart that they’re aware and can recognize a veteran and what it means to us.”

Alongside the performances in each grade level, multiple J.G. Johnson students provided special solo or group performances, such as a first-grader singing Toby Keith’s 2003 song “American Soldier.” Musician Eric Stillman and local band No Way Out performed during the assembly and also helped provide live music to some of the student performances.

“I got a chance to talk to some of the veterans afterwards in the refreshment room and they were all very pleased,” Anderson added. “They really enjoyed the performances from the children. [They] thought they showed a lot of courage getting up there in front of all those people doing what they did.”

After the appreciation assembly ended, veterans were invited into a room next door where they enjoyed coffee, cake and refreshments.

“I loved it [the appreciation assembly]. I thought it was really great,” said veteran Janet Porn on her way to the refreshments room. “I think that it inspires the young children to understand that life is precious and the freedom that we have is even more precious.”

While veterans enjoyed cake and coffee in the refreshment room, J.G. Johnson students handed out various “thank you” artwork to the former military members created by the school.

“It [the assembly] was awesome. There were a couple of points where I almost teared up,” said army veteran Chris Pfeiffer. “So, it was a very good job. And I appreciate J.G. Johnson extending the invite to all of us veterans, whether they’re our children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren. It was very humbling.”

For more information about J.G. Johnson Elementary, visit jgjohnson.nye.k12.nv.us.

Contact reporter Elijah Dulay at edulay@pvtimes.com