On Monday, November 11, ADM Middle School staff and students thanked local active service members and veterans with a Veterans Day Celebration. They welcomed their visitors with morning donuts and coffee. Thank you to The Rooted Bean and HyVee for donating the coffee and donuts for this event. After coffee, the local American Legion Post 454 presented the colors at a flag raising ceremony. Traditional taps were performed by students Braylon Whipps and Blake Johnston.

Following the flag raising ceremony, the students and staff welcomed approximately 50 local veterans and service members into our classrooms to hear about their experiences while serving. In small groups, these men and women shared their personal stories with our students. The students were well engaged, attentively listening, and asking relevant questions following each presentation.

The morning activities concluded with an assembly to honor those who attended the day’s events. As veterans made their way to the auditorium, students lined the halls for a clap out honoring the veterans for speaking and for their service to our country. During the assembly, 4 Quilts of Valor were presented to deserving veterans. Laura Brenner, an Adel community member and retired ADM teacher, made two of these quilts for the ADM Middle School. Kim Timmerman presented these quilts on Laura’s behalf, recognizing Bill Highland, who received his quilt prior to the ceremony, as well as Tim Johnson, who was present to receive his quilt. The remaining two quilts were made by Robbie and Andrew Hall, ADM high school students, as a service project. Robbie Hall presented the quilts to Tim Smith and Scott Mattes to finish the ceremony. Thank you to these individuals for their continued donation of time, talent, and quilts.

In the afternoon, ADM Middle School staff and students welcomed Adel local, Scott Mattes, to speak to all 7th and 8th grade students about his experience in the Air Force. He shared a family history of military service, his own story of working for the Pentagon during 9/11 and the anthrax attack in 2001, and he concluded with a message advocating a life of service for middle school students. The afternoon concluded with station activities, including boot camp exercises with Chris Hatchitt, learning more about the Honor Flight, and writing thank you letters to our visitors.

We greatly appreciate our area veterans, not only for their service, but also for the time they took to spend with our students, teaching them about their service and demonstrating why servicemen and women should be honored on this day. Thank you!