Bring a veteran to school day in Lynbrook

Charlie Ben’Ami, of Lynbrook’s Waverly Park School in the Lynbrook School District, was proud to have his grandfather Edward Davison join him for “Bring a Veteran to School Day.” Davison served in the Navy during the Korean War.

Courtesy Rosemary Leonetti/Syntax

WWII army veteran Vincent Aquilino was happy to be an honored guest at Waverly Park School’s “Bring a Veteran to School Day.” His great-granddaughter Olivia Dublin, pictured left of him, was proud to share him with her class.

Courtesy Rosemary Leonetti/Syntax

Michael Russo shared his Navy photos with first graders.

Courtesy Rosemary Leonetti/Syntax

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To embody the school theme for the year, “Be the Change,” Lynbrook’s Waverly Park School hosted its first annual “Bring a Veteran to School Day.” Students and teachers invited family members and friends who have served in the military to visit their classrooms, where they could share their experiences and answer questions. Among the honored guests were twelve veterans of varying ages who had altogether served in every war, from WWII to the current War on Terrorism.

To convey their gratitude, students created a Wall of Peace out of paper bricks that expressed their ideas about peace, honor, respect, tolerance and loyalty. The entire school sang a heartfelt rendition of “Proud to Be an American,” and students presented their special guests with flowers and cards before escorting them to their classrooms. The veterans shared their memories with the students, and many brought in personal memorabilia such as photos albums, uniforms, helmets and medals they had earned in combat.

Vincent Aquilino, the great-grandfather of first grader Olivia Dublin, was an army infantryman who fought in five major WWII battles, including the Invasion of Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge and the Battle of St. Lo. Through all of this combat service, he was miraculously never wounded.

Stuart Barnett, the grandfather of CJ and Matthew Sollitto, fought in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He was stationed 80 miles from Saigon.

Many students were surprised to learn that their own head custodian, Jim Locke, had served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War.

Michael Russo, the great-uncle of Ava Murillo, served in the U.S. Navy in the years between the Korean and Vietnam Wars, stationed in Bermuda. “The service did more for me than I did for the service,” he told the children as he passed around an album of photos depicting his years in the service.

“We came together today to honor the real American heroes by asking them to share their stories and experiences with us,” said Waverly Park Principal Lucille McAssey. “We must always remember that Veterans Day is not just a day off from school. It is a day that we need to stop and remember the sacrifices our veterans made for us so we could be free.”