By Gene Robbins, Managing Editor
Army veteran Bob Kowalski told the assembled pupils in Hillsborough Elementary School on Friday to respect the flag and respect their teachers.
Then he snapped off a crisp salute to the students.
Some of the school children brought their parents, uncles and grandparents who had served in the military to the school for the annual Flag Day program arranged by teacher Jennifer Hopson. The program centered on the themes of citizenship, patriotism, pride in America and flying the flag.
They sat on the stage and were introduced to the student body and in turn got up to say a few words to the children, sitting attentively on the gym floor in the muggy heat.
It was a first Flag Day visit for Edgar Somera, a veteran of Desert Storm and the father of transitional primary student Ariana Rua, he unpacked his uniform for the occasion and was happy to see it still fit. He told the children how comforting it was to go out on a military assignment in Iraq and come back to the base to see the flag standing there.
Jane Fidacaro of N.J. Cares told the children that cards like the ones they designed and drew were the most anticipated parts of the care packages sent to soldiers serving abroad.
Township Committeeman Frank DelCore noted he loved to be invited to such programs, if only to wear a tie with a flag design, Winners of an essay contest on the flag were announced and the pupils, if they wished, read their essay for the audience. The winners were 1st-grader Sruti Chandramohan, 2nd-grader Grace Bottomly, 3rd grader Rose Fender and 4th-grader Allison Lee.
Students all joined in the singing of “It’s a Grand Old Flag.”
After the assembly, the veterans went to classrooms to talk about how they served in the military and the children could ask questions. Then they went to a reception featuring a cake.
Veterans and students on stage were:
— Paul Wargo, grandfather to Ryan Wargo;
— Leonard Creco, grandfather to Luke and Leah Neilan;
— Bob Kowalik, grandfather to Christiana Muller;
— Kevin Duffe, uncle to Lauren Flynn;
— John Day and Richard Murray Sr., grandfathers to Nicolas Murray;
— Jon Norbut, father to Hannah and Ben Norbut;
— Michael B. Murphy and Stanley Domaracki, grandfather and great-grandfather, respectively, to Jack Murphy, and
— John S. Quirke, grandfather to Caitlin and Jack Miller.
Similar Flag Day ceremonies were held in other school buildings the same day.
