Carroll public schools are finding ways to celebrate veterans virtually this week through activities and pre-recorded videos.
In past years, some schools have brought in veterans to meet with students and talk about their experiences. That isn’t possible this year because of COVID-19. Still, multiple schools are participating Wednesday in Veterans Day activities that honor those who served.
Students at Sykesville Middle School, for example, will have the opportunity to watch a short video presentation of an active duty soldier creating a Missing Man table and explaining what it means.
“The missing man table is a military tribute to soldiers who are missing in action and have not gone home from duty,” Principal Kristi Reppe said.
The National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia said on its website a table is set with six reserved seating for the soldiers who are missing. The six seats represent each branch of the military. The table is round to represent everlasting concern, the cloth is white to symbolize the purity of their motives, a single red rose is a reminder of the soldiers' lives and a yellow ribbon represents hope.
Reppe said the soldier, a spouse of a teacher, already recorded the video.
Sykesville will also share a list of activities that families can do at home like creating pinwheels, cards or a patriotic cake. The principal said the cooking club tried out the recipe last week.
Northwest Middle School will have a Missing Man table set up in its cafeteria.
Additional Veterans Day activities include learning the “Star-Spangled Banner” and its history at Linton Springs Elementary School, presenting interviews of family members who are veterans at Mt. Airy Middle School and a video of service members with connections to North Carroll Middle School.
Shiloh Middle School is putting together a Veterans Day video tribute. South Carroll High School will recognize service members in a presentation. And West Middle School will have a Veterans Day photo tribute.
Century High School will share a slide show honoring alumni who served, East Middle will show a virtual presentation with photos of veterans the school community wanted to share and Liberty High School will share a photo slideshow of local veterans.
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Steven S. Yinger, a captain in the U.S. Air Force, will give a presentation to kindergarten classes at Westminster Elementary School and Westminster High School is collecting non-perishable food and personal care items to be put in care packages for the young men and women who are serving our country in the military.