Orrington pupils gain respect for vets

ORRINGTON – Eighth-grader Autumn St. John, 14, stood in front of a billboard filled with photos of soldiers, some from years ago and some new, and pointed out her grandfather.

She stood with her grandmother, Marilyn St. John, who smiled broadly when she saw the picture of her husband surrounded by Center Drive School pupils with a U.S. flag as the backdrop.

Ken St. John, 70, a Bangor resident, was one of 26 local veterans who went to the school as part of a special project to help educate eighth-grade language arts pupils about war and serving in the military.

When his granddaughter asked him to speak to her class, Ken St. John “thought they were looking for heroes” and “I didn’t classify myself as a hero,” he said.

“She said, ‘That’s OK, you can still come,'” the Vietnam veteran recalled with a grin.

The military men and women were videotaped by education technician Rick Cortis as they told their stories to the pupils in classrooms led by teachers Judith Front Gillis, Nancy Noyes and Charles Colson. On Thursday, a veterans’ banquet was held to honor those who participated in the classroom project.

“We’ve had some tremendously moving experiences,” Colson said to kick off the event. “We truly thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the educational experience.”

Service members in all branches of the military from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War and the current Iraq war have told their stories to the young teens over the last few months.

While Ken St. John sat talking about his war experiences on Thursday, he held and rolled a white napkin in his hands and his white Air Force cap lay on the table. He used the napkin to occasionally wipe tears from his eyes.

“You can’t tell them everything,” he said. “Some of the things that happened in Vietnam you wouldn’t want to relate to anybody.”

One of his jobs while in Vietnam was to pick up the bodies of those killed in action.

His granddaughter said she had heard some of his war stories before, but somehow they possessed more meaning when he was standing in front of her classmates.

“There was a lot I didn’t know,” Autumn St. John said. “I didn’t realize what the different wars were about.”

Other pupils in her class added that they now have a different perspective when it comes to war.

“They sacrificed a lot,” Alyssa Lynch, 14, said.

“It made me appreciate what they did for us,” Erica Peavey, 14, said.

Most of the students cried after hearing the story of one soldier who still suffers from post-traumatic stress syndrome, Nickole Powers, 13, said.

“We got to hear firsthand about all the stuff they had to go through,” she said. “I really have a lot more respect for veterans.”

As part of the ceremony, participants received a DVD of themselves telling their stories and a single long-stemmed red rose.

A poem written by student Chris Desmond titled “Soldier” was read to the crowd of 70 or so, causing some to weep. The veterans also stood at attention, either saluting the flag or with their hands over their hearts, when pupil Laura Jordan sang the national anthem. A video compilation of the vets’ stories intermixed with pupils reactions also was shown.

Nine veterans who didn’t participate in the classroom project also were honored during the banquet, including a father and son, and a moment of silence was held for the men and women who have died in the line of duty.

Autumn St. John said she is extremely proud of her “grampy” and has a new respect for all who have served or who continue to serve.

“When you hear the veterans’ stories, you realize it’s not just the picture on TV,” she said.

Colson said the project will continue next year.