JUPITER, Fla. — Independence Middle School in Jupiter celebrated Veterans Day early, filling its gym with the school band and patriotic songs to honor military veterans.
WPTV anchor and Navy veteran Mike Trim connected with veterans who were part of the event.
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The ceremony marked 15 years of a tradition at the school, where the panel of veterans from the Army, Navy and Marines shared their stories with students, who honored each one of them one by one.
Michael Gallo, a civics teacher at Independence Middle School, said the event is about teaching students to appreciate those who served.
"These are the people who fight for our freedom and keep us safe. We want to show students what this holiday's about, how to appreciate veterans and they should always take the opportunity to say thank you for your service," Gallo said.
Francisco Nova, a Navy veteran, reflected on his time in the military.
"It was a great experience for me. I'll never regret the decision that I made to join the military. And it's just one of the main things people can think about doing in their future careers," Nova said.
Barbara Wirth, an Army veteran, said the day serves as a meaningful reminder.
"It's a good reminder about serving the bigger cause," Wirth said.
The students stayed locked in and listening as the veterans spoke about pressing forward.
"The challenge was to continue to press forward because that was the vision to press forward."
Trim spoke to the students with crowd participation, asking them to yell "Go Navy" on a count of three.
The students responded loudly, followed by Mr. Gallo thanking the veterans who participated in a salute to those who served.
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