On Veterans Day, November 11, 2019, Welsh High School (WHS) and Welsh Elementary School (WES) conducted their annual Veterans Day Ceremony at the Welsh High School Gymnasium.
The Honor Guard from James O. Hall American Legion Post from Jennings, LA posted the colors to begin the ceremony. Then, Cody Gueringer and Chelsey Hetzel, WHS & WES Teachers of the Year, led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance. The WHS Band played the National Anthem. WHS student Gracie Myers gave the welcome address. WES Club Representatives Lauren Hayes, Grant Haydel and Kynnedy Nunn read a Veteran s Day poem. Peyton Stanford sang “America the Beautiful.”
The guest speaker for the event was WHS graduate Erin Duplechin. Erin spent 13 years in the Louisiana National Guard, rising to the rank of First Lieutenant. During her time in the military she was deployed multiple times to Iraq during the Operation Iraqi Freedom campaigns.
The WHS band then played the “American Spirit Overture.” Misty Stantz next read the winning essay from the WES contest where students wrote what Veterans Day meant to them. The WHS Band, assisted by Pat Deshotel, played the Armed Forces Medley. The WES 2nd and 5th grade students then recognized all veterans present with tokens of appreciation for the veterans’ service.
Post 19’s Honor guard, assisted by Pat Deshotel, conducted a flag folding protocol. Kate Lawrence from the WHS band then sounded TAPS. Closing remarks were given by Amy Treme and Brandt Smith, WES and WHS principals. The ceremony was greatly appreciated by all veterans in attendance.
