Northbrook Junior High School hosted veterans at the Northbrook Veterans Day ceremony on Tuesday morning.
Veterans in American Legion George W. Benjamin Post 791 were joined by middle schoolers, faculty and guests at the packed assembly in the school gym.
Chaplain Thomas Mahoney of Northbrook offered opening and closing prayers. A fallen comrade table and Armed Forces Tribute were included in the approximately 40-minute program.
“Remembering our veterans in our communities is so important for the fabric of our nation,” Post Commander Michael Korman of Glenview said to Pioneer Press.
The morning honorarium featured patriotic music by the junior high’s musicians and singers.
Before performing on violin with the the school’s chamber orchestra, Skylar Schwartz, 12, a seventh-grader from Northbrook, acknowledged United States military members.
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“Thank you for protecting our country and working hard and sacrificing your lives for us,” Skylar said.
The guest speaker keynoting was Northbrook Fire Department Chief David Schweihs of Glenview.
Also according to the program leaflet, “Chief Schweihs served (two years of) active duty in the United States Navy assigned to the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Constellation CV-64 and in the United States Naval Reserve assigned to the Seabees Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 1625 where he was a heavy equipment operator 2nd Class Petty Officer (EO2).”
Schweihs ended his podium remarks with a message to youth in the audience.
“To the students…you have the opportunity to build upon the foundation that veterans have laid.
“You can make a difference,” Schweihs said.
The concluding portion of the program moved outside under windy, cloudy skies amid temperatures in the upper 30 degree range.
The Sons of the American Legion Squadron #791 offered the rifle salute.
Sebastian Koziol, 18, of Northbrook and a Glenbrook North High School senior, sounded “Taps” twice on silver trumpet, first inside the gym and then after the rifle salute along the flagpole in the snow in front of the school.
“The honor of sounding ‘Taps’ is, in my opinion, to honor our veterans and honor those who served and perhaps did not make it (home),” Koziol said.
“For me, it’s a great honor to be able to do it and to serve my nation in a way that, even if it’s not directly in the military, it’s one way I can honor and help my country,” Koziol said.