At St. Pius X, celebrating Veterans Day is a time-honored tradition not only throughout our country, but within our school community as well. For over a decade, faculty members including theology teacher Mr. Dennis Ruggiero, social studies teacher Mr. Scott Carter, and science teacher Mr. David Sabino have helped organize our annual Veteran’s Day assembly, which took place on Friday, November 12. 

While juniors and seniors attend Career Day presentations, freshmen and sophomores reported to the gym to hear a presentation from Captain James Flanagan, a 2001 graduate of St. Pius X who served in the army for nine years and lead teams through war zones throughout the world, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Qatar, and Turkey.

Veterans Day is especially meaningful for students and faculty who have family members currently serving in the military or who are veterans themselves, like science teacher Mr. David Sabino.

Mr. Sabino served in the Marines for four years after college and another four and a half years in the Reserves. He has been deployed twice, with the first being in 2006 on the USS Iwo Jima and the second from 2007 to 2008 in Iraq. 

“It’s a healthy reminder for us as a country and society about what it takes to preserve and protect the values that we hold dear in this country,” said Mr. Sabino about the importance of Veterans Day. 

“We take it for granted that we have a democratic system and that we have freedoms that billions of people don’t enjoy on a daily basis,” he continued.

When asked about the importance of the Veterans Day assembly for our students, Mr. Sabino said, “I would hope that the students learn something about the military as I have always lamented how disconnected we have become between those who have military families and those not affiliated with it.” 

New this year, the assembly also included music from our band programs. 

“We [played] army marching music in the gym,” senior Andrew Soha said. “It’s planned to become an annual event as well.”

In addition to performing during the assembly, the band also hosted a concert in the Young Center on Thursday, November 11 at 7:00 p.m. The show featured the Symphonic Band and Percussion Ensemble as they played patriotic songs such as “American Patrol,” “Armed Forces Salute,” and “Salvation is Created.”

Thank you to all of the men and women who have bravely served in our military!