VASJ students gather in honor of Veterans Day

Four years ago, Liam Stanton '16 was a freshman at VASJ and looking for a way he and other students could honor veterans in some way.

"I felt that veterans should be recognized for their service, especially on a day like Veterans Day," Liam says.

He went to Mr. Gary Minadeo '74, retired U.S. Army Lt. Col., West Point graduate and VASJ's student council and senior class moderator, and  they decided to start a Color Guard at VASJ for Posting of Colors at formal school assemblies.

“Liam and I went to a board meeting to explain the concept and to ask them to help us raise $2,500 for a full set of flags, bases and harnesses to carry the flags,” Minadeo says. “On that night, individual board members pledged the total amount from their own pockets.”

And so began the Color Guard at VASJ.

"Ever since that day my loyalty and love for my country has grown immensely,” says Liam, now captain of the Color Guard.

And thanks to Liam’s leadership, VASJ's Color Guard group membership has grown, too.

Liam first recruited Jacob Stauffer '16 to join him in the group. John Henry Posey ‘16 got involved soon after. Interest in the group continued to grow and there are now six members of VASJ’s Color Guard.

On November 11 when the VASJ community gathered for the 2015 Veterans Day Assembly, you could hear a pin drop during the Color Guard’s Posting of Colors -- an impressive feat with a group of over 450 people.

Silence has never been so moving.

Liam, and the entire VASJ community, gave the veterans of the United States Armed Forces the respect and recognition they deserve.

“Let us not forget,” said Mr. Gary Minadeo ’74 during the assembly introduction. “Let us thank those who you know who are veterans. It’s the one day out of the year that we thank those who have served.”

Babe Kwasniak ‘94, also a West Point graduate, retired Army captain and VASJ’s director of leadership development and head basketball coach, served as the featured speaker at the event.

Babe Kwasniak '94 served as the guest speaker at VASJ's Veterans Day assembly. 

“I want to share five things that being a veteran taught me that might help you,” Kwasniak said.

“One: How to love my country. I challenge you all to learn to love your country.

Two: Have pride in your appearance.

Three: Respect the position and respect authority.

Four: God is our ‘break hand.’ As long as God is there, everything will be alright. God believes in you.

Five: Veterans Day is a day where we believe in heroes.

“May God bless you, may God bless this school and may God bless this country,” said Kwasniak.

Maggie Boru '16, Student Council president, Brenna Doley '16, Student Council treasurer, Joe Martin '16, Student Council treasurer,
Billy Vidmar '17, Junior Class president, Jada Bates '18, Sophomore Class president, and Liam Stanton '16, Color Guard captain,
light memorial candles during the Veterans Day Assembly. 

VASJ’s Student Council and Senior Class Officers lit six memorial candles in honor of those who served in World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Gulf War and those who served and continue to serve in Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and the War on Terror.

VASJ student Melanie Mitchell '18 created this video capturing the Veterans Day assembly.