A Glimpse into the Past: Veteran’s Day

By Jenna Grande Veteran’s Day is commonly overlooked for its historical significance and, unfortunately, is considered just another day off for many students. One of the reasons why students don’t take the time to recognize the meaning behind this holiday is because they don’t know its background. On November 11, 1918, it was official that The Great War (or World War One) came to an end when in France, the Treaty of Versailles was signed. This important treaty brought to end one of the most destructive wars in Europe. Over 117,000 American soldiers lost their lives from the time the US entered the war, 1917, until the end of the war, 1918. (The last soldier to officially die in the war died on November 11, 1918.) Despite the heavy amount of passed on soldiers, everyone truly appreciates the day off to look back on all the wars that we have won, the freedoms that we have because of this, and to give thanks. “I think this is the perfect time to thank people in the war right now,” says freshman Jeff Grande. With American flags flying high and parades across the nation, nationalism and patriotism boosts up American morale. Junior Julie DeLucia agrees. “It’s important we thank all those who served and are serving right now in the armed forces,” she says. So this Veteran’s Day, take a moment and reflect on the freedoms you have today and be thankful for the ones who fought so hard for them. Go visit a Veteran or celebrate American pride by simply waving an American flag at a parade. With a whole day to do so, everyone should be able to squeeze in some time to do just that.