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Green Valley Elementary School will have its annual Veterans Day Assembly in combination with American Education Week on November 11. To celebrate both occasions, we invite Veterans, parents and friends of Green Valley to attend this special presentation. Veterans are invited to be our guests for breakfast in the teacher’s lounge at 7:45 a.m. and for refreshments following the assembly. Also after the program, Veterans, parents and friends will have the opportunity to visit the classrooms. Refreshments for parents and friends will be served in the front hallway. The theme of American Education Week is “Great Public Schools: A Basic Right and Our Responsibility”. The theme of Veterans Day is “Honoring All Who Served”.

The program will feature two Veteran Speakers, Ken Pearson and Bobby Ferguson. Ken Pearson is the father of Brianne Pearson, a fifth grade student here at Green Valley. SFC Pearson served in the Marine Corps from June 1984 to April 1988. He attended Marine Corps Boot Camp in Parris Island, South Carolina. While in the Corps, he attended Infantry Training School at Camp Pendleton, California. His first duty station was at Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines. He completed that tour and was then stationed with 1st BN 8th Marines 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina as a Squad Leader in an Infantry Line Platoon and as Acting Platoon Sergeant and Platoon Commander. From there his unit went to Okinawa, Japan, to Korea and back to Okinawa. His final duty with the Marine Corps was with the Rifle Range Detachment at Camp Lejeune.

Currently, SFC Pearson serves with the Army National Guard. He joined the National Guard in May 1991. From May 1991 to November 1995, he served one weekend per month with 1st BN 116th Infantry in Roanoke, Virginia. During that time he served as Unit Armorer and went on to be a Fire Team Leader. In November 1995, he became an active duty member with the Army National Guard. He served as a Recruiter in South Boston, Virginia from November1995 to August 1999. He was transferred back to Roanoke as a Recruiter from August 1999 to June 2004. He was transferred in June 2004 to HHC 29th Infantry Division in the G3 Shop as Assistant Operations Sergeant at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. In May 2005, he attended Battle Staff NCO Course at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin. Immediately upon his return, he reported to HHC 1st BN 116th Infantry in Roanoke. During this assignment, he attended Air Assault School. In November 2005, he was transferred to Woodstock, Virginia, 3rd BN 116th Infantry as a Readiness NCO. In May 2006, he was transferred to C Company, 1st BN 116th Infantry in Christiansburg, Virginia. He was transferred back to Woodstock with Bravo Company 3rd BN 116th Infantry to deploy in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as an Infantry Platoon Sergeant. He served in Iraq from June 2007 to May 2008. He is currently serving full time with C Company 1st BN 116th Infantry. Effective this month, SFC Pearson has accumulated 23 years total military service, of which 17 years is active duty.

Gunnery Sergeant Bobby Ferguson is the cousin of Green Valley fifth grader Cameron Stout. Bobby enlisted in the Marine Corps in January1994. Upon completion of Recruit Training, he proceeded to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina PFC Ferguson then proceeded to Motor Transport Training School at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and from there was stationed with the 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune in October 1994. In October 1996, CPL Ferguson received orders to go to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, to be an instructor for the Vehicle Recovery Course where he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. In June 1998, Sergeant Ferguson again received orders and was stationed with Truck Company 3rd Marine Division in Okinawa, Japan for a period of three years. In July 2001, Sergeant Ferguson proceeded to Camp Johnson as Instructor for the Motor Maintenance School where in November 1991 he was promoted to the rank of SSgt. In August 2004, SSgt Ferguson again received orders to 1st BN 6th Marines at Camp Lejeune. In February 2005, he was deployed with the 1/6 to Camp Fallujah, Iraq, for a period of seven months. In June 2007, SSgt Ferguson received orders for Recruiting Duty and was sent to RSS Roanoke, Virginia/RS Richmond, Virginia, where in August 2008, he was promoted to the rank of GySgt. for Marine Combat Training where he was meritoriously promoted to Private First Class.

Included among our special guests will be a Color Guard of Veterans from the 82nd Airborne Division Association, members from the Veterans Outreach Program, American Legion Post 3, and Military Order of the Purple Heart, as well as friend and family Veterans from the Green Valley and Roanoke Valley communities. A Welcome Message will be given by Principal Tammy Newcomb and the Statement of Purpose will be read by SCA President, Stephanie Pekic. The entire student body will be involved in a musical Tribute to the Services during which all five branches of the Armed Forces will be saluted with their song (by the time a student graduates from Green Valley, he/she knows all five songs). Also included in the program will be a special reading by Camilla Cabaniss, retired 3rd grade teacher, and additional patriotic music performed by the students and directed by Mary Lou Hagen, music teacher. Kelsey Parker, SCA Vice President, will light the Candle of Rembrance for our Moment of Silence while Corey Hannah Summers and Rhee McMillen, members of the Hidden Valley Middle School Band, play Echo Taps. A staff choir will sing the closing song, “Let There Be Peace on Earth”.

Veteran’s Day is an eighteen-year tradition at Green Valley and is a perfect opportunity for our students to model CHARACTER COUNTS. In preparation for the assembly, teachers cover many SOLs, including SOLs in Music, Art, Social Studies, and Language Arts. We believe our children should know the sacrifices made for our freedoms, and by celebrating with our community, they realize how many people are involved. To make this concept more tangible, we will display our annual Wall of Thanks, where Green Valley patrons, staff and their family members who have served in the armed forces are featured on posters surrounded by red, white, and blue. The Wall of Thanks will be displayed in the hallway adjacent to the Cafeteria/Auditorium. The children and staff will be dressed in patriotic colors or Scout uniforms. Veterans are invited to attend the assembly and receive special thanks for serving our country.