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The following information was submitted to us by the Manassas City Public Schools Public Information Office:
A small parade of veterans visited Manassas City Public Schools (MCPS) on Friday, November 7, 2014. Veterans from Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam and even WWII arrived on motorcycles and historic military vehicles to students and staff waving flags, cheering, singing and reciting poetry.
MCPS partnered with the local VFW and American Legion Post #10 to organize the parade—complete with a police escort. The event was part of Post #10’s Thank You Card project. Students and staff made cards, which volunteers picked up from the students during their visit to the schools before presenting them at the annual Veterans Day Parade in Old Town Manassas on November 8. The cards were also given to veterans in area assisted living facilities.
Many veterans visited the schools, including retired MCPS teacher Lt. Col. Jerry Martin USMC, who earned a Silver Star and Purple Heart for his service in Vietnam; Silver Star recipient Merle Hancock, who served in WWII; as well as Osbourn High School graduate and Afghanistan veteran Faris Amra, whose decorations include the Purple Heart.
Also on November 7, about 100 Osbourn High School (OHS) students, including those in ROTC, took a Fine Arts field trip to the Hylton Performing Arts Center to watch a very special and timely production from the Manassas Ballet Theatre.
“Colin: Son, Marine, Hero” tells the story Colin J. Wolfe, a 2005 OHS graduate who lost his life in the line of duty at the age of 19. Wolfe, who joined the Marines the day after he graduated high school, was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq just seven weeks into his deployment. “We felt honored that ROTC got personally invited to the play. It means a lot,” said Dilcia Cruz Palucho, an 11th grader at OHS.
Wolfe, a former dancer, was compelled to become a Marine following the terror attacks on September 11, 2001. The ballet chronicles Wolfe’s life from when he was a baby in his mother’s arms until the day two Marines showed up at his parents’ doorstep with the devastating news. Wolfe is the son of Manassas Ballet’s artistic director Amy Grant Wolfe. “The play was very good and it was touching about how they showed their point of view from their son’s death and how they incorporated that into the play,” said Connor Howard, who is also in the 11th grade. Osbourn Assistant Principal said the ballet was “very moving” and an “awesome opportunity” for students.
In addition, on Monday, November 10, Mayfield Intermediate School invited a group of local veterans for a small, private reception. They were honored through songs performed by the Mayfield fifth grade chorus, before sharing their stories with the entire fifth and sixth grade student body. One such veteran was 91-year-old Hancock who became a WWII POW after his plane was shot down by the Germans on his 37th mission. The students really enjoyed hearing the story of a true American hero!
Please visit our Facebook gallery for additional photos of these events.
