While appropriate for the occasion, most Veterans Day speakers usually sound the same — honoring the sacrifice of the men and women who have served their country in the military. It’s at the core of why we observe Nov. 11 every year and an opportunity to thank them for their service whether in war or peacetime.
Years ago the Kewanee Veterans Council came up with a novel idea. Why not ask high school students to be the main speakers at the Veterans Day service? While an adult might give a good speech, young people might provide a different perspective. At the same time, they might learn more about why we observe Veterans Day as they prepare their speech.
Each year both Kewanee and Wethersfield high schools select a member of the senior class to speak at the annual Veteran’s Day service. This year’s speakers were exceptional, both sharing a different personal take on what Veterans Day means to them at the annual service held Monday at Wethersfield High School.
Wethersfield’s Alivia Lempke told how her father serving in the military shaped his life by teaching him the importance of service to your country above self.
Kewanee High School’s William Ly told how his grandfather, father and aunts and uncles escaped Vietnam during the fall of Saigon in 1975, but without the sacrifice of American soldiers that would never have been possible and he would not be here today enjoying the freedoms of life in America.
Alivia said as a little girl she idolized her father, Nick Lempke. They did everything together, he was always there when she needed him; he was her best friend.
When he was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps she watched as he grew, getting a job and continuing his education. Then, one day at dinner when she was 8 years old, the subject of his military service came up in conversation.
“I thought I knew everything about him…how could I not have known about such a significant part of his life? Even at a young age I began to realize that I didn’t truly understand what the military was, or the profound impact it had on shaping who my dad was.”
Her father enlisted in the Marines the day he graduated from high school. Not knowing what he wanted to do, he hoped to find structure and community in the military. He did, but also found a sense of purpose, the knowledge and every action, every decision makes a difference and that he was contributing to something larger than himself.
Alivia concluded by saying we should all be proud to live in the only nation on earth where such extraordinary dedication to democracy and service thrives.
“We are a nation built on the sacrifices of those who have served and continue to serve with unwavering commitment. Honor them by upholding the values they protect and ensuring that the promise of freedom and opportunity is passed on to future generations,” she said.
Ly admitted that while he does not have many U.S. veterans in his family, both sets of his grandparents served alongside American soldiers in the South Vietnamese military with the common goal of eradicating Communism from their country.
“After the Vietnam war my family was lucky enough to flee the country shortly after Ho Chi Minh took over Saigon. This is thanks to the courageous efforts of U.S. soldiers in Vietnam. Without them, me and my whole family would not be able to be in this country. My uncle was on the last flight out before the North Vietnamese bombed the Saigon airport. My dad, grandpa, aunts and uncles all fled the country on boats. Without veterans we would not have the freedom we have today.” Ly said. “It shows how veterans are not only fighting for Americans, but also for people in other countries as well…and for that I am forever grateful.”
Ly said Veterans Day is very special to him.
“Thank you for fighting for my education, thank you for fighting for my life, and thank you for fighting for my right to live in this beautiful country.”
He said Veterans Day is a day he will never take for granted because without veterans like those there Monday he would not be able to live freely as a citizen of the United States.
