About 400 students, parents, grandparents, instructors and members of the armed forces celebrated Memorial Day with songs, poems and a flag-folding demonstration at Holly Grove Elementary School on May 25.
Students in each grade level performed for the audience. Kindergarteners sang “You’re a Grand Old Flag” while waving flags of their own. First graders sang “Many Flags in Many Lands,” and second graders sang “America (My Country ‘Tis of Thee).” Third and fifth graders recited the poems “The Pride of Our Country” and “Freedom is not Free,” respectively.
Fourth graders recited the poem “In Flanders Fields,” and special needs students laid construction-paper poppies at a memorial for members of 15 Holly Springs families who died in battle from World War II to Afghanistan.
The HGES student council recited part of the Gettysburg Address and explained how “the battle itself was less significant than the speech.”
Members of the Raleigh-Wake Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol gave a demonstration of a typical flag-folding ceremony. The three-member color guard folded a flag into a triangle with only the stars showing, and placed it on a pedestal next to the memorial.
The Holly Grove Middle School band performed several songs for the audience, including “The Star Spangled Banner,” “America the Beautiful,” an Armed Forces medley and TAPS to close the program.
Benjamin Edwards of Boy Scout Troop 356 served as narrator and Master of Ceremonies for the program.
Several special guests attended the Memorial Day event. Principal Wiladean Thomas welcomed guests to the school.
The purpose of the program, Thomas said, was “to honor those heroes and she-roes who sacrifice” for their country.
Southern Wake County Superintendent Lloyd Gardner also welcomed the audience.
“I cannot think of a better way for our students to come together,” he said, adding that students can look to members of the armed forces for life skills like courage and character.
The student council members said they enjoyed the program.
“I thought it was really good. I thought the kindergarteners and first graders did an adorable job,” Shelby Brown said.
“It was a nice way to thank our veterans,” Jacob Adcock said.
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