The Liberty Elementary School District held a series of events to honor veterans ahead of Veterans Day, with celebrations taking place across its seven schools on Thursday, Nov. 7. A

lthough students had the day off on Veterans Day, Monday, Nov. 11, the district marked the occasion a few days early with activities that recognized the contributions of military service members. At Liberty Elementary School, the day began with a Veterans Day Breakfast & Assembly, where veterans were invited to join students and staff for a morning of reflection and appreciation. The assembly included performances and speeches, followed by individual classroom activities throughout the day. Each of the other six schools in the district held their own commemorative events.

At Blue Horizons Elementary, students in grades 6-8 participated in an assembly featuring Shawn Banzhaf, Executive Director of the Pat Tillman Veterans Center at Arizona State University, who spoke about the significance of Veterans Day. The assembly also included performances of the Star Spangled Banner, Armed Melodies and a pageant of the flags by the school’s JROTC program.

Estrella Mountain Elementary started the day with a Veterans Day Breakfast organized by the student council, which was open to veterans and the wider school community.

At Freedom Elementary, the school hosted a mid-morning celebration that included a schoolwide event, followed by classroom activities where students commemorated the day in different ways.

Las Brisas Academy held their celebration on the basketball courts, where the LBA Band performed a song for attending veterans. The event included a presentation honoring veterans by branch of service, and first-grade students sang a song. The celebration concluded with a social meet-and-greet, giving students and veterans an opportunity to connect.

At Rainbow Valley Elementary the day began with a Veterans Day Breakfast, followed by individual classroom celebrations to honor the contributions of veterans.

Westar Elementary organized a morning parade through the Estrella community. The event continued with a schoolwide assembly and small group discussions led by 4th-grade students, where they engaged with veterans and learned more about their experiences.

These events provided an opportunity for students to learn about the importance of Veterans Day and for the community to come together in recognition of veterans' service and sacrifices.