On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, World War I finally concluded. Armistice Day, or more commonly known as Veteran's Day, is celebrated on November 11th each year to honor those men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice. At OLHMS, we show our thanks and gratitude to all Veterans, especially those within our Oak Lawn and Hometown communities.

OLHMS celebrated the patriotism and sacrifices of these heroes on Friday, November 5th during our annual Veteran's Day assembly. OLHMS 8th Grade Student Ambassadors welcomed over 40 Veterans to the ceremony. Mrs. Kate Ryan, OLHMS Global Studies teacher, gave the opening remarks and welcomed the OLHMS community and Veterans to the celebration.

Dr. Sean McNichols, OLHMS Principal, welcomed our guests into the building with a special presentation from each floor of OLHMS. The Principal Advisory Committee lined the hallways waving the American Flag showing respect and thanks to each of the Veterans in our building.

"Performing at the assembly is really important to me because it allows our music students to showcase their respect and gratitude for our veterans. These men and women have given up so much so that we can have the freedom to sing and play our instruments. This allows our music students to express our appreciation through song!" - Ms. Kayla Hughes, Music teacher and Choral Director

From the bottom of our hearts, our OLHMS scholars, teachers, and administrators would like to thank all of our veterans who have served our country to keep us safe and free. Thank you for your sacrifice, bravery, and service!

Mrs. Ryan shared, "Hosting the Veterans' Assembly is one of the many special events we have at OLHMS. With the help of several teachers, and our administration, we are able to give our Veteran's the recognition they deserve. Year after year, we try our best to honor each and every one of our guests, and it's a privilege to have them attend. Between the chorus, the band, speeches given by veterans, a Fallen Soldier Table, and the playing of the Taps, we try hard to make the Veterans feel special. If you know a Veteran and would like to share this experience with them, please reach out to me at kryan@d123.org to attend our future celebrations."

Mr. Terry Vorderer, United States Army, 1st Infantry Division, Retired Oak Lawn Police, Chief of Patrol, and current Mayor of Oak Lawn, gave a moving speech to the OLHMS Student Body and Veterans. Mr. Vorderer also participated in a Military podcast (see above) with 8th grade Student Ambassador, George K.