By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
Mirroring the military Wall of Honor at the Lawrence Township Municipal Building, school district officials are considering creating a similar “wall of honor” that celebrates Lawrence High School graduates who have served in the U.S. armed forces., The Wall of Honor at the Municipal Building lists the names of military veterans who lived in Lawrence Township when they enlisted, and the war or conflict in which they fought. The plaques cover every war or campaign fought by the United States — from the Revolutionary War to the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan., The Lawrence High School veterans honor roll was suggested by a Lawrence resident, said Crystal Edwards, the superintendent of schools. There is a Hall of Honor at Lawrence High School that lists graduates who have succeeded in their careers, but it has not been updated since 2007., Lawrence Township’s Spirit of Lawrence Patriotic Committee is interested in helping to create a military honor roll at the high school, said Steven Groeger. His wife, JoAnn Groeger, sits on the Lawrence Township Board of Education., Mr. Groeger, who is the former superintendent of Recreation for Lawrence Township, told the school board that the plaques cost about $3 apiece. Money for the plaques at the high school could be raised privately, and would not involve taxpayer dollars, he said. There are other details that need to be worked out, he added., Alumni who are interested in having their names placed on the plaques would have to submit their own documentation, Mr. Groeger said. Inclusion on the honor roll would not depend on having served in a war or conflict, he said. The criterion would likely be to have served in the military., “My sense is, there are a lot of graduates who have served or who are serving in the military,” Mr. Groeger said. The names could be listed alphabetically, either by graduation year or by decade. People would see the veterans honor roll when they enter the high school to attend a basketball game, for example., “At Town Hall, the plaques are unveiled at the Veterans Day ceremony (in November), and then they are put on the board. My experience has been that people see it when they walk through the hall,” he said., Lawrence High School Principal David Adam supported the proposed veterans honor roll. He said he had already researched the topic, and noted that several high schools in southern New Jersey have a veteran honor roll., Manchester Township High School in Ocean County has a military honor roll, as does Washington Township High School in Gloucester County in southern New Jersey., “I love the idea,” Mr. Adams said, adding that it is good to show appreciation for the alumni veterans. He said he would like to ensure that the veterans honor roll is ongoing and that it does not go the way of the Hall of Honor, which has not been updated in years.
