SHERRARD, Ill. — On the eve of Veterans Day, the Sherrard School District honored more than 75 area veterans with an assembly at the high school. The hour long event included the Elementary School students singing America The Beautiful, a flag folding demonstration and a video from Sherrard media students interviewing local veterans about their military stories.
'This means a lot to have all the community support," U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Matthew Fahrenkrog said.
Fahrenkrog decided in 8th grade he wanted to join the military and protect our country.
"I went to the Holocaust Museum and saw a lot of things I didn't like," Fahrenkrog said. "And even in eighth grade, I made a commitment to myself that I gotta do something about this."
One of the students who sang American The Beautiful was Fahrenkrog's 4th grade daughter. "To see them singing and doing the wave really meant a lot," he said. "It kind of hits you right here in the heart."
Lieutenant Colonel Michael Burns, whose served for 22 years in Korea, Germany, Iraq and Afghanistan, spoke at the assembly.
"This was actually more of an emotional experience than I thought it was going to be," Burns said. "Just seeing the kids and the emotion, and the veterans that were in the crowd to celebrate today, it was amazing."