Shawnee Middle and High School to honor Veterans with Field of Flags

As Veterans Day approaches, Shawnee Middle and High School students and staff have a unique and meaningful opportunity to honor veterans through “Field of Flags.”
 
For the past two weeks, students and staff have purchased American flags for $1.00 to represent a veteran or active service member in their life. There have been 450 flags purchased and the names of the veterans are displayed in the lobby of the middle and high school.

On Friday, November 8, students and staff will place the flags on the front lawn of Shawnee Middle and High School, creating a visible and heartfelt "Field of Flags" as a tribute to the men and women who have served and continue to serve our country.

This project has been organized by Shawnee Middle School teacher, Ms. Carolyn Collins, and her 8th Grade Advanced American History Class. Ms. Collins hopes to create a unique opportunity for students to actively engage in honoring veterans this year.

“This project means a lot to me and I am proud of Shawnee Middle and High School,” said Ms. Collins. “I have been excited to see how involved the students have been with not only buying flags but also writing down veterans’ names to honor. I hope students see that all veterans deserve our thanks and appreciation, not just in November, but throughout the year.”

All flags have been donated and all proceeds from this project will be given to Honor Flight Dayton. Honor Flight Dayton provides “a trip of a lifetime” to eligible veterans flying them to Washington D.C., free of charge to see their war memorials.

Honor Flight began in 2005 in the Springfield and Enon area to transport WWII veterans to Washington D.C. to see their new memorial. Since then, Honor Flight has expanded to 45 states and has transported close to 300,000 veterans to see their war memorials.

This organization has made a significant impact on many individuals, including Ms. Collins, who has personally participated in two Honor Flights to support veterans.

Throughout her 34 years of teaching, Ms. Collins has shared the organization’s impact with countless students in her classes and encouraged them to participate by writing letters to the veterans on the flight. As she nears her retirement in the summer of 2025, Ms. Collins wanted to lead this building-wide project to allow all middle and high school students and staff to express their gratitude to veterans.

“I hope the community sees that Clark-Shawnee Schools take pride in our country. We want to do more than just say thank you, we want to visibly express our appreciation for the men and women who have served this great nation we live in,” said Ms. Collins.