Unfortunately, when students find they have a shortened school week  they tend to forget the reasoning behind it. Such pupils find themselves simply content enjoying the unusual lack of work. Such was the case to some students a couple Wednesdays ago. There was no school on November 11th, an early release the Thursday after, and no school that Friday.

Although Veterans day is often overlooked, it is an important to reflect upon why students have a free day. The holiday was originally created to show respect for people who are brave enough to serve the United States of America. These individuals have fought to protect the freedom and safety promised to Americans. Sadly, citizens often take this liberty for granted. Veterans Day provides a time to recognize and to appreciate the important work completed by the country’s armed forces.

Believe it or not, people have been celebrating some form of Veteran’s day since World War I. On Armistice Day, at the end of WW I, such a celebration began. Later on, in 1954, the U.S Congress and U.S President Dwight Eisenhower signed a special bill. This declaration officially established November 11th as a national holiday: Veterans day . Such explains why the holiday is always observed on the 11th, regardless of which day in the week it falls upon.

Nowadays, when Veterans day rolls around, most acknowledgment happens in our capital, Washington DC. The Veterans Day National Ceremony, like most ceremonies around the nation, is held on Veterans Day itself. Respects are also paid in other military ceremonies and parades around the country. Citizens place American flags on the graves of those who lost their lives protecting our country. For this reason, I hope some of Nashoba’s students spent time acknowledging all the brave individuals who are willing to sacrifice their lives to protect ours over the long weekend.