Memorial Day Presentation May 27, 2016

On May 27, 2016 the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School students along with Mr. Wronko invited National Guard veteran and current fifth grade teacher for the Barack Obama Elementary School, Kevin Williams, to attend a special Memorial Day Ghana session. This session began with Ms. Friedman and her chorus singing America The Beautiful. From there Kevin Williams spoke to the students from Ghana and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School about his military experience as a medic. In addition, he also talked about his religious views and answered numerous questions from the students in Ghana. After Kevin Williams spoke, Mr. Wronko’s students did numerous presentations on the meaning of Memorial Day, Arlington Cemetery, World War One, the Battle of the Bulge, the Battle of Midway, the Battle of Britain, the use of the atomic bombs, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Red Baron, the battle of the Ironclads: Monitor versus Merrimack, Rosie the Riveter. and the Allies ending the threat of German U-boats in World War II. These projects were done as power point presentations, written reports with visual posters, and oral commentaries.

Lyrics to America The Beautiful:
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

On June 3, 2016 the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School students along with Mr. Wronko invited veterans of foreign wars to attend Memorial Day session three with the students of Ghana. The veterans who attended were George Reed, a medic who helped saves lives during the Vietnam War, and Wilbur V. Martin, a paratrooper during the Vietnam War. Both veterans talked about their experiences and answered numerous questions from all students. Some questions dealt with the difficulties of war, assisting friends and platoon members, and adjusting to life after war.

George Reed and Wilbur V. Martin attended many sessions with Ghana this year. Both veterans enjoyed how they were able to talk to students from another country across the Atlantic Ocean. Both veterans hope that this program never ends.