High school students empty parking lot for Memorial Day ceremony

• Empty lot filled with names of Americans killed in action recently

Students took over 13 hours to finish putting all the names of those who have given their lives for this country in the last two wars in the shape of an American flag. Photo by Jordan Willi
• The honor guard marches past the crowd

The honor guard marches past the crowd with the nation’s flag raised high. Photo by Jordan Willi

Talk about it

It is not very often that the Hudson High School parking lot is devoid of the parked cars.

However, last Friday students were asked not to drive to school or park in the front half of the parking lot so a giant American flag could be drawn on the asphalt. The white space of the flag was filled with the names of over 5,000 soldiers who had given their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq. The students worked over 13 hours to complete the flag and write out all the names of those who died in service to their country.

Friday morning, students gathered in front of the high school to listen as guest speakers, Fred Dietze and Kitty Rhoades, spoke of their experiences with the military and what it is like to grow up in a military family. A group of choir students sang a patriotic song before the ceremony started and an honor guard made up of members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2115 and the American Legion Post 50 gave a 21-gun salute.

Tags: news, education, military