Oshkosh North High School hosted its annual Veterans Day ceremony on Tuesday, bringing together students, faculty, veterans, and families to honor those who have served our nation. The event highlighted the deep ties many local families have to the armed forces and underscored the importance of remembering the fallen.
Retired officer reminds students of service
Retired Army Lt. Col. Mike Hert addressed the crowd, emphasizing that Veterans Day is a time to recognize every branch of the military, from the Space Force to the Coast Guard. “Veterans Day to me is really important. It’s that day where we recognize all veterans, be it Space Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Air Force, you know, we recognize all of them,” Hert said.
Hert, who served two tours in Iraq, one in Afghanistan, and a deployment to the Horn of Africa before retiring in 2015, urged students to learn about the service of relatives and neighbors. “It could be grandma, grandpa, aunt, uncle, your parents, cousin, a brother, sister, ask about their service. Today is the perfect day to ask about their service. Where they served, what they did,” he added.
Students take the lead
Eleventh‑grader Lily Engelke served as master of ceremonies, delivering the presentation in front of her father, a retired Air Force member. “I’m beyond grateful to be able to speak in front of him,” Engelke said. “This would just mean so much to me and probably mean a lot to him. So it was just a blessing.”
Orchestra member Oscar Zaborski also shared a personal connection, noting that his grandfather was the sole Coast Guard representative at the ceremony. “Veterans give everything for the role that they play, even sometimes their lives,” Zaborski said. “And I think it is crucial that we show them some support as younger generations and maybe even join.”
Luncheon brings community together
Following the ceremony, students organized a luncheon for the attending veterans, providing a relaxed setting for conversation and gratitude. The school scheduled the event on Tuesday so that veterans could also attend additional community activities on Wednesday.
Local residents praised the school’s effort to involve youth in honoring service members, noting that such events reinforce the values of family, faith, and patriotism that define the Oshkosh community.
Continuing a tradition of respect
The Oshkosh North Veterans Day ceremony has become a cherished tradition, reminding each generation of the sacrifices made by service members and their families. By inviting students to lead and speak, the school fosters a sense of responsibility and gratitude that extends beyond the classroom.
As the ceremony concluded, attendees left with a renewed commitment to support veterans and to keep the stories of their service alive within the community.
Original reporting: FOX 11 WLUK Green Bay (local) — read the source article.
