Charlotte Deans, 6, third from left, sings with her classmates during a ceremony honoring veterans Wednesday at Libertyville's Copeland Manor School.
Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
Waving signs bearing American flags and messages of gratitude, students at Copeland Manor School in Libertyville honored area veterans during a ceremony at their school Wednesday.
Students sang "We Are Grateful" and listened to veterans like Steve Pantos of Libertyville share their memories of their service.
Like Pantos, whose granddaughter Quinn Ugland, 6, attends Copeland, many of the veterans in attendance are parents or grandparents of students at the Libertyville school.
Vietnam War veteran Norm Roth of Libertyville was honored by grandson Cole Roberts, 9.
"This is really important to honor the vets and honor those who serve now currently and in the future as well," Roth said.
Without the active military, Roth said, we would have "no freedom of speech, no freedom of elections ... (and) no freedom to chose not to serve if we didn't want to serve."
Cole Roberts, 9, holds tight to his grandfather Norm Roth, a Vietnam War veteran from Libertyville, during a ceremony honoring veterans Wednesday at Copeland Manor School.
Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
Emie Klimczak, 6 and a first grader at Copeland Manor School in Libertyville, holds an appreciation sign for all the veterans who attended the school's tribute day on Wednesday.
Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
Veteran Steve Pantos of Libertyville, with granddaughter Quinn Ugland, 6, hangs out with other veterans Wednesday as they tell their stories as part of Copeland Manor School's tribute day to veterans on Wednesday.
Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
Emma Christian, 6, of Libertyville joined her father, Jacob Christian, during Copeland Manor School's tribute to veterans Wednesday.
Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com