Students from Ghana meet with Military Veterans

Wilber V. Martin

George Reed

Alfonso Freda

Ghana Students with Lou Parisi

Students from Ghana meet with Military Veterans
On April 29, 2016 the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School students along with Mr. Wronko invited veterans of foreign wars to attend a special Ghana session. The veterans were Lou Parisi, served in the Pacific Ocean theater of World War II, Alfonso Freda, fought in the Korean War, George Reed, a medic that helped save lives during the Vietnam War, and Wilbur V. Martin, a paratrooper during the Vietnam War. During this session, every veteran shared their experiences with the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School and Ghana students. Their experiences dealt with combat, fear, saving lives, losing a friend, having the mental toughness to never surrender, jumping out of airplanes, rough terrain, and fighting for your country. All the students in this session asked numerous questions. Some of the questions they asked were:
1. Were you drafted or did you join the military?
2. What was your experience with war like?
3. Were you ever wounded and if you were how did you cope with your injury?
4. Have you ever lost a friend or did you ever save somebody in need?
5. Is there a possibility to serve in the military and go to college at the same time?
6. How was your life when you returned home from war? Did you ever reflect on your service?
7. How difficult was it carrying your gear?
8. How severe was the anxiety going into war? Did you ever go for days without sleep?
9. Were you ever short on food or water? If you were how did you survive?
10. Did you ever feel that the conflict you were involved in would not end?
All the veterans were thrilled with this experience of speaking to students in another country such as Ghana. The veteran guests made a promise to return and conduct another presentation for a new session.

Students that helped with the presentation were: Kayla Bryd, Nai’Heem Crooms, Daniele Delgado, Viridiana Jacobo, Perfecto Kendle, Tatiana S. Laurore, Christlie Lavarin, Oscar Limon Vasquez, Rodney Loiseau, Maria Lopez, Shy’Asya Parker, Oswaldo Pelaez, Ali Salahedin, and Deicie Vasquez.

2475: Ghana Students/Lou Parisi

2482: Alfonso Freda

2483: George Reed

2486: Wilbur V. Martin