“Service to Our Nation” – Bucktail Students Honor Veterans at Annual Veteran’s Day Assembly
By Kevin Rauch
In the honored presence of veterans that served in Vietnam, the Middle East and in peacetime, the Bucktail Middle/High School hosted “Service to our Nation”, as they honored veterans to celebrate Veterans Day.
Each year Trish Wilson and students and faculty of the school hold the event in which they ask veterans to attend and in addition to thanking them for their service, they always ask that a couple speak on what it is like to be currently serving and having served in the armed forces.
With western Clinton County having a prolific history of storied servicemen and women, having fought in the Civil War and every war and conflict since right up to serving today, the Bucktail assembly continuously proves to be one of the proudest events that the Renovo area has to offer each year.
Many High School students participate in the Veterans Day assembly while the Renovo Elementary School always brings smiles as a slideshow allows them to offer their thanks and gives them a chance to explain what being a veteran means to them.
The program came full circle for two 2025 graduates of Bucktail Area High School this year.
Last year Mattisyn Mason and Lily Sporny both took part in honoring veterans as high school seniors, and each would go onto joining the Army National Guard after graduation. While Lily’s younger brother Lincoln’s class spoke in unison thanking veterans, Lincoln stood front and center, saluting, proudly wearing his sister’s military jacket and hat. During a separate slideshow later in the program Mattisyn had sent a video talking to students that just last spring she sat alongside, offering her experiences of boot camp.
This year’s guest speaker was 2014 Bucktail graduate 1LT Aaron R. Kelley, Commander of the 213th Personnel Company, PA Army National Guard.
1LT Kelley gave a poignant speech that likely not many saw coming, as he started off by asking everyone to take a moment and picture in their mind what an American soldier, sailor or airman looked like to them.
Then, the speaker offered brave performances of veterans including: The story of the four chaplains and the sinking of the SS Dorchester; Tuskegee Airman; US Army Master Sergeant Roy P Benevidez; Medal of Honor Recipient LT Michael P Murphy Patchogue; and Maj Kristen Marie Griest.
After recounting the heroics of each person or group, 1LT Kelley said “Now I ask you to reflect on that picture that you had in mind. Of the typical American soldier. Were these diverse individuals, with their varied backgrounds, face, ethnicities, and life experiences match that image?”
“The truth is the American Military is a mosaic of individuals from every form of American society, mirroring the nations cultures of tapestries and balances” added the guest speaker. “From the hills of Appalachia to the streets of Philadelphia, serving alongside each other and bringing their unique skills and perspectives to the uniform.”
“There is no typical soldier, sailor or airman and that is why our nation is adaptable, resilient, dedicated and better equipped to defend our shared values” 1LT Kelley summed up, offering that our differences are what makes us such a strong military.
In addition to the slideshows 1LT Kelley’s parents Bob and Linda sang as did Erica Dorman and Bucktail senior Kedda Bissman. Eva Sockman, McKenna Stone and Hayleigh Dent were all on stage presenting as veteran Mary George Rhone also spoke including announcing that there will be a new round of Hometown Hero Banners next year. The Bucktail band played as their director Abby Novak performed TAPS and veterans John Tarantella, Art Kramer and Ron Jones explained and demonstrated the folding of the American Flag.
