Patriotic poets

Each year, the Meyersdale Area School District welcomes local veterans to a series of programs and activities in their honor for Veterans Day.

This year, the elementary program and sing-along featured the efforts of four very talented students: Lillie McVay, Mason Wilt, Bayne Elsea and Anthony Polenski. These students wrote and presented special poems in honor of veterans.

According to Amanda McNelly, the project began as an assignment but quickly evolved into a labor of love, as students embraced the challenge and were thrilled to celebrate the men and women who have given so much for our freedoms.

“This was a Language Arts assignment that I gave, a Veterans Day couplet poem. The students were expected to follow all the rules of a couplet poem and add, at least, eight patriotic vocabulary terms to their writing. I was so pleased to see how excited they all got about this assignment.”

All poems were reviewed and then voted on by fourth and fifth grade teachers to determine which poets would be featured during the program. McNelly said the competition was fierce and she is proud of the effort made by all the students.

“I was so impressed by the work of these four students and proud of them all.”

Military Veterans
By Mason Wilt

Warships waving, willingness and more
Military Veterans, I know you’re very sore.

You have been up all day and night,
Shooting bullets and bombs, just to stop the fight.

You trained in the rain and fought all night,
And when they are coming, you’re prepared for a fight.

There are women and men you might never see again,
But they have gone to a better place. Rest in peace, my friends.

 

Thank You Veterans
By Lillie McVay

Women and men go to war
To save our freedom and more.

We thank you for your service,

But not everyone knows your importance.
You run to a dangerous fight,

To save us every day and night.

So we give you our appreciation
To honor you on this celebration.

 

Heroes of War
By Anthony Polenski

Battling and fighting through the night,
Coming with an unsettling fright

Soldiers marching with a salute
We’re here to respect you with a tribute.

You’re like superheroes, but in real life,
Protecting with all your might

Defending our country from enemies alike
We love you, veterans. You put up a fight.

We care for you, Veteran, and God bless
I hope you have a great success.

 

Heroes of America
By Bayne Elsea

Today we all celebrate
Those we should appreciate

Today is the day of victory.
As we say thanks to you who go down in history.

Today we thank the women and men
Who sacrifice their lives then come back and we say amen

We do these celebrations to show your glory.
Now I want to ask what’s your story?