11.11.11

PART I

Amy invited her dad to be honored at her school

On Veteran’s Day.

Not just any Veteran’s Day

11.11.11

It was one of the most amazing afternoons of my life.

Nary a word about Halloween

Yet Veterans’ Day is important stuff.

But I get ahead of my story.

The evening before

She tactfully primed us.

She didn’t come right out and say it;

Just inferred we were not to embarrass her.

“You will want to be on time.

At least 5 minutes early.”

Giving us detailed instructions

On how to get there

And where to park.

She and her dad studied the map.

A little later, she casually said,

“The kids will all be in uniform,

You know, white shirts and ties,

Vests, plaid skirts, khaki dress pants.”

“We’ll dress up,” I promise.

“Just no sweats and like that.”

Did she think we’d show up in our pajamas?

Never know.

After that settled in,

She tackled proper propriety.

“You probably won’t talk to anyone,

but IF you should sit at a table with

the Executive Director

or my assistant corners you,

or anyone. . .

remember

no one needs to know

where I went to school

where I live

what religion I am

where I worked before.”

“Can’t we even tell them

you changed your last name?”

Dress code?  Manners?  Behavior?  Anything else?

We better say our prayers tonight.

PART II

A field of flags waved bravely in the breeze

As we circled the front of the school.

Young ambassadors in red, white, and blue vests

Meet us at the car;

And lining both sides of the entry and hallway,

Welcome us as special guests.

They shake hands and visit with us

During the reception and light lunch.

Eye contact, politely asking questions.

Amy told us later they had been coached.

They all reminded me of Jonathan.

He would fit right in this school and

Be a good ambassador with his impeccable manners.

Brigitte too,

But she already has a school and a niche,

Isaak as well.

The Junior High Orchestra softly played patriotic songs

Contributing to the overall swelling of patriotism

And love of country.

Over 750 children were already seated in the gymnasium

(barely finished for this program)

when we were escorted to our reserved seats.

Each class sang with fervor and articulation a patriotic song;

The sixth grade did an interactive choral reading

The Things that Make a Soldier Great

A guest speaker;

Actually on the faculty at one of the campuses,

Retired from the Navy

Petty Officer 1^st Class.

Presented slides of fellow servicemen

Who were injured in the line of duty.

Highlighting their bravery; courage; and determination.

He was in Afghanistan for Thanksgiving last year.

Four student essay winners presented.

Vibrant; energetic; sincere.

Tutored to look at the audience at intervals.

You could hear every word.

The last remarks were by the Founding Board Chair.

 “Why do we celebrate Memorial Day

at the American Preparatory Academy?

It’s not my favorite holiday.

I like to open presents on Christmas;

The Easter bunny bringing me chocolate eggs;

Setting off firecrackers on the 4^th of July.

When I got a little older,

I liked Valentine ’s Day;

And when I went off to college,

I loved Thanksgiving with my mom’s home cooking.

Why Veteran’s Day?

It would be scary to go off to war;

To go to places you don’t want to go

And do things you don’t want to do.

But these veterans did it.

They did it so the next generation of children

Could celebrate Christmas;

And Thanksgiving;

And set off firecrackers on the 4^th of July.

So that we could have the freedom to

Choose our friends, how many children we will have;

What career we will have.

Maybe someday, you’ll be called to sacrifice

For the children who come after you.

There are evil people in the world plotting mean things;

Thinking they are smarter than anyone,

Telling you do everything the way they say;

Ruling by power and force.”

It was a tear-jerker.

There were Kleenex boxes every few seats

Where the honored guests sat.

Amy said her class was affected.

Many of them crying.

The Star-Spangled Banner.

Having the veterans stand

During the Armed Forces Salute;

Calling each one by name and service;

Asking them to individually stand

So the Ambassadors could give each

A pin on a star-shaped hand-written note.

DeRay’s said:

“Dear Honored Veteran,

Thank you for serving and fighting for our Country.

Because of you, I’m free, and so are my friends

and family.  I stand here free because of you.

It means so much.  Couldn’t thank you enough.

Sincerely, Cassidy, 8^th grade,

American Prep Student.”

There was only one other veteran

From the Korean War besides DeRay.

Two or three from World War II.

Most from Vietnam.

Both men and women from the Gulf War;

Afghanistan and Iraq.

Even Peacetime.

A mother of one of Amy’s students

Is in the Coast Guard and served a tour of duty.

DeRay hates Veterans’ Day programs that glamorize killing.

At least that’s what I thought until today.

Today I found out he doesn’t like to stand when

They sing the Army song

Because he was in the Army for only two years,

While spending 23 years working on an air base,

As a civilian, of course,

Doing Air Force stuff.

With this new insight,

He’s proud to have served his country,

Civilian and military.

For all of this,

The entire studentbody sat basically motionless, soundless,

Except when performing.

Poised.  Respectful.

It’s called The American Preparatory Academy

But for all the world

It looks like an International School.

Few Blacks and Whites;

(Even then, Amy says English is a second language for most of the whites.)

Every color and nationality in between.

A beautiful sea of diverse faces

All dressed in identical uniformity;

Honoring the men and women

Who fought for their freedom.

Veterans and their families walked across the front

And shook hands with the dignitaries

As the students clapped.

The Walk of Honor, they called it.

I wasn’t even being honored,

I am not a veteran,

But I believe it is the first time in my 75 years

I have walked the Walk of Honor.

It felt good.

Amy winked at us.

PART III:

We were standing in the foyer to leave

When Amy came marching by

Followed by her class in single file.

She motioned us to follow.

No talking in the halls.

When we got to her classroom

And all the kids were in their seats

She introduced her dad.

He told them a little bit about being drafted

And his tour of duty in Germany during the Korean War.

She introduced Ed and me,

then asked the class if they wanted to show us

how smart they are.

In unison, without any aid from Amy,

they recited Jabberwocky.

"Jabberwocky"
'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought--
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! and through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

"And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"
He chortled in his joy.

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Jabberwocky" is a nonsense verse poem written by Lewis Carroll in his 1872 novel Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There.  In a scene in which she is in conversation with the chess pieces White King and White Queen, Alice finds a book written in a seemingly unintelligible language. Realizing that she is traveling through an inverted world, she recognizes that the verses on the pages are written in mirror-writing.  She holds a mirror to one of the poems, and reads the reflected verse of "Jabberwocky". She finds the nonsense verse as puzzling as the odd land she has walked into.  "Jabberwocky" is considered one of the greatest nonsense poems written in English.  Its playful, whimsical language has given us nonsense words and neologisms such as "galumphing" and "chortle".  On U-tube, we found the University of Utah Chorale singing it; as well as the Muppets and others.

Later, she told us they have learned four poems already.

Inner-city kids behind their grade level.

(They estimate it will take 2 years for them to rise above grade level)

Tell me about it.

To me, they are brilliant.

How could 5^th graders learn Jabberwocky

And deliver it in precise accentuated unison?

Did I mention,

It’s been an amazing afternoon?

11.11.11

  Won’t happen again for 100 years.

  No one alive today

  Will be alive then.

  Probably.

  

Vets Day assembly 

Salt Lake Tribune

Published: November 19, 2011 01:01AM

As a grateful, honored U.S. Army veteran, I thank the American Preparatory Academy in West Valley City for its wonderful Veterans Day Assembly.

How refreshing to receive the gifts of a handshake, song and instrumental music from these well-mannered charter school students. Representing a kaleidoscope of ethnicity, these young men and women display an uncommon love for excellence in education, America’s freedoms and her military veterans.

The school, its faculty, students and supportive parents are West Valley gems. I salute you.

Michael L. Prows

West Jordan

  Unfortunately, he didn't even hear Amy's class recite Jabberwocky!