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Yantis ISD Hosts
Vietnam Veteran's Wall Exhibit

by: Bobby McDonald

It was a day of patriotic speeches, flag waving, and remembering the many, many veterans that have sacrificed their lives for this country, as students and townspeople in Yantis welcomed the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Exhibit to their school, on Wednesday afternoon. Superintendent of schools, Harold Cowley, welcomed the exhibit and Yantis Mayor Jerry Miller read a proclamation declaring it Veteran's Remembrance week for November 4th - 11th.

Yantis ISD students presented poems and speeches, as the Veteran's exhibit came to their community. Here,
high school student, Chandler Apel, presents a moving speech.

The national Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Wall Exhibit, visited Yantis and Quitman Schools on Wednesday and will be on display in Mineola for the remainder of the week. "We bring the 80% replica of the Vietnam Veteran's Wall to small communities all across this country, so that those soldiers can be honored in the hometowns and rural areas from which they came," expressed a U.S. Marine Corps representative, who spoke to the students. "Everyone can't travel to Washington D.C. to see the actual memorial and this is our way of honoring those men and women who gave their lives to preserve the freedoms we enjoy all across this nation, in places like Yantis, Texas, far removed from the nation's capitol."

Yantis ISD students waved flags, led in the Pledge of Allegiance, and offered speeches and poems, fitting to the occasion, on Wednesday afternoon, as the historic display made its way to northern Wood County. "It's so great that we can have something such as this in a small place like Yantis," expressed Cowley. "I want to thank the Marine Corps and those teachers involved in bringing this to Yantis, so that our students can experience the gravity of the sacrifices that have been made for all of our freedoms!"

The exhibit was on display for approximately an hour and then moved on to its more permanent site, in Mineola, where those with the exhibit hope that Northeast Texans will travel to view the exhibit. The exhibit was ushered into town by the Patriot Guards, a motorcycle motorcade, that is made-up of chiefly Vietnam Veterans.

"This is a great way to let our students learn about the importance of our veterans and the lives that have been given to preserve our freedoms," expressed Carol McKeever, one of the teacher organizers at the school. "I feel our students gained needed knowlege about the importance of honoring our veterans for their contribution to American freedom!"

The exhibit in Mineola also includes a tribute to WWII and Korean War veterans, a 9-11 Tribute, and a "Gold Dog Tag" Exhibit. "It's our way of honoring the warriors and heroes who have given the ultimate sacrifice for all of our national freedom," expressed those traveling with the exhibit.

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