On Dec. 17, James Monroe High School’s Leadership Alliance students Caleb Broyles, Anna Frasher, Aleigha Hill, Luke Jackson, LeiAnn Richmond, Katherine Viars, and Gabby Walker plus seventh graders Alexis Broyles, Jessa Hill, and Marshal White assisted in the laying of wreaths on the graves of deceased veterans at the West Virginia National Cemetery in Taylor County. They joined students from Grafton High School in support of the national Wreaths Across America (WAA) program.
According to the WAA website, “Each December on National Wreaths Across America Day, our mission to Remember, Honor and Teach is carried out by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as at more than 3,400 additional locations in all 50 U.S. states, at sea and abroad.” Monroe County students were proud to join in this effort and to have sponsored twenty of the dozens of wreaths they laid at the cemetery.
JMHS looks forward to making this an annual event to honor our veterans and their families during the holiday season in which many face an empty chair at the table. Community members can sponsor a wreath online at wreathsacrossamerica.org.
The James Monroe Leadership Alliance is a student organization dedicated to developing the next generation of community leaders, and community service is one of its pillars. The WAA event was truly a day of service given the travel distance involved, and Monroe County should be proud of these young ambassadors. If your organization is interested in connecting with these students for further service opportunities please contact their advisor, Dr. Scott Womack, at swomack@k12.wv.us or via Facebook Messenger.
