Newtown High School celebrated Veterans Day with a luncheon offered to visiting veterans followed by an assembly in the school’s auditorium.

The assembly had a number of speakers share their thoughts on Veterans Day and highlighted the veterans for their service.

Newtown Selectman Will Rodgers was one of the first to speak at the assembly, and he encouraged the high school’s youth to befriend the young servicemen and women. While Mr Rodgers said the students can learn a lot from the armed forces members, he also said the service men and women can learn from the high school students. In the wake of the events of September 11, 2001, Mr Rodgers said “an entire class of people” spent their formative years in Iraq or Afghanistan and can learn from the students who have not.

Superintendent of Schools Joseph V. Erardi, Jr, said he believes it is essential for students to listen to the stories the veterans can share and for them to understand that “we are all here because of the freedoms that you have protected for us.”

The superintendent also noted the sense of respect emanating from the roughly 800 students in the auditorium who were seated quietly because of the veterans in attendance.

“I stand here with great pride saying welcome, and whatever we can do to offer opportunity to you, whatever opportunity you can do to offer opportunity to our students, we would love to have that conversation,” said Dr Erardi. “Congratulations to our veterans on this very, very special day.”

A history of Veterans Day was shared during the assembly before former US Army National Guard member and current Newtown Police Officer Matt Hayes spoke for the audience.

Officer Hayes asked students who were thinking of joining the armed forces to stand to be recognized before sharing what they can look forward to with service.

“Your life is going to change,” said Officer Hayes, who also said he knew he wanted to be a soldier and a police officer when he graduated from New Milford High School in 2001.

Perspectives change, he said, after “signing on the dotted line.” While many people will have differing views on life with the high schoolers as they age, Officer Hayes said that is what makes America great.

Whenever Officer Hayes meets a veteran or future veterans, he said he thanks them for defending him.

US Navy Commander Andy Ipkovich was the keynote speaker for the high school’s assembly. He shared a number of stories from his experiences with the students during his time at the podium.

Once while deployed to Florida in the wake Hurricane Andrew, Mr Ipkovich said he spent time clearing ceiling tiles from the floor of Homestead Senior High School, which had its roof torn off by the hurricane.

Other memories Mr Ipkovich shared involved hauling a disabled submarine through the Panama Canal, and that while he was Afghanistan two years ago, a man he worked with was put in charge of setting up the high office of oversight, which Mr Ipkovich said is similar to a judicial system.

“The moral of that story is you never know where you are going to end up,” said Mr Ipkovich. “So while you are here at Newtown High School make sure you study hard in all of your classes, because you may be setting up a judicial system [in your future].”

Members of the military are asked to do a range of things, according to Mr Ipkovich.

“Military men and women are asked to do everything from nuclear war to humanitarian operations,” he said.

NHS Principal Lorrie Rodrigue, when she spoke, said she is proud of the students and staff for organizing the Veterans Day assembly and thanked the veterans for being in attendance.

The assembly, Dr Rodrigue said, reminded her of her grandfather, a World War II veteran, who rarely spoke about his service, but when he did, she said he was proud.

“We should never forget any of these true heroes,” Dr Rodrigue said.