Neuqua to honor those in military service

Neuqua Valley High School may not be able to directly teach its students bravery, but it can show them what it looks like.

The Naperville school will hold an honor ceremony entitled "A Celebration of Our Nation's Heroes" at 7 p.m. today in the school's rotunda, 2360 95th St. The public is welcome to attend.

Assistant Principal Maree Russavage, whose own son served in Iraq, organized the event and said she hopes it will be a night of "reflection and inspiration of how we honor military servicemen and women."

The school's Wall of Honor now features 60 Neuqua graduates and family members of faculty who are serving in the military.

It was just a year ago the honor ceremony was dedicated to Army Sgt. Bradley Beste, a 2002 graduate who was killed Aug. 4, 2006, by a roadside bomb in Iraq.

During this year's event, retired Col. Paul Herbert, director of the First Division Museum at Cantigny, will give a keynote address.

Several participants with military ties also will read letters from soldiers from the major conflicts in U.S. history going back to World War I. Many of the letters come from "War Letters: Extraordinary Correspondence from American Wars," by Andrew Carroll.

"We tried to reflect in each speech that even though it was a challenging experience, they were proud to be Americans," Russavage said. "It's not a comment on the war, just … honoring our patriotism."

Neuqua's string quartet and chamber choir singers also will perform.

If You Go

What: "A Celebration of Our Nation's Heroes"

When: 7 p.m. today

Where: Neuqua Valley High School, 2360 95th St., Naperville

Info: (630) 428-6012