KAPA‘A — A lot of the students did not know what Nov. 11 represents to many Americans, military veteran Robin Sanchez said. She was one of six veterans who came to meet the students Wednesday at Kapa‘a High School during
KAPA‘A — A lot of the students did not know what Nov. 11 represents to many Americans, military veteran Robin Sanchez said.
She was one of six veterans who came to meet the students Wednesday at Kapa‘a High School during a talk story session.
The Meet-A-Vet program was coordinated by Lt. Col. Robert Levoit, director of the Kapa‘a High School Jr. ROTC, to give students a better understanding of the sacrifices given up by veterans for the price of freedom and liberty.
“A lot of the students don’t know these things,” Sanchez said. “Even if they are told by their parents and relatives, they don’t know. After they look at the memorabilia brought over by the veterans, they gain a new understanding.”
Johnny Rabasa, honored as a grand marshal during Saturday’s Veterans Day parade and a volunteer with the Kaua‘i Veterans Council, was among the veterans who took time to work with the students in areas they were interested in.
“We were going to do this in coordination with the Library of Congress veteran histories,” Levoit said. “But there were too many conditions and requirements we needed to get into. This is the first time we’re doing it, so while we’re researching how to do it for Congress, we are just doing a talk story with the veterans.”
Kapa‘a High School student Gabrielle Buist, newly crowned as the 2011 Miss Kaua‘i Veteran, stayed during the entire day, thrilled about being able to hear the stories shared by the veterans.
Veterans Day was originally known as Armistice Day for the armistice which was signed on the 11th hour on Nov. 11, 1918, ending the hostilities of World War I, according to a KVC program.
In November 1919, President Woodrow Wilson issued his Armistice Day proclamation and in 1938, Congress passed a bill dedicated to the cause of world peace and the honoring of Armistice Day.
Following World War II, the veterans became concerned the word “Armistice” simply meant truce. Veterans of that era tried to correct this and make Nov. 11 a day to honor all veterans.
During a Veterans Day program in Kansas in 1953, Rep. Ed Reese was so impressed, he introduced a bill to change the name. The law took effect in May 1954, making Nov. 11 Veterans Day.
The Kaua‘i Veterans Council invites the public to its annual Veterans Day ceremonies at 11 a.m., Friday, at Hanapepe Veterans Cemetery.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
