On Friday, November 9, El Dorado High School (EDHS) hosted its sixth annual Veterans Day ceremony in the Joe Raya Gymnasium. This ceremony typically takes place outside at the school’s Fallen Heroes Memorial on campus, but strong winds caused a change of venue.
The Fallen Heroes Memorial was constructed in 2013 as an Eagle Scout project by Andrew Binnings, a 2014 EDHS graduate. The Memorial honors the three El Dorado graduates who sacrificed their lives defending the country – U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sergeant William Harrell (92), U.S. Marine Corps Corporal Claudio “Nene” Patiño IV (06), U.S. Army Sergeant Jason Michael Weaver (07).
Each year, the event is supported by Placentia Boy Scout Troop 723 and Esperanza High School’s Air Force Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) program, as well as the EDHS Choral Program.
This year’s ceremony speakers included EDHS Principal, Joey Davis, U.S. Air Force Colonel, Henry Pandes, EDHS ASB Vice President, Sarah Sprengel, EDHS student, Ashley Jones, and veteran, Sean Jagow.
In front of a full house, Col Pandes conducted a Veteran Roll Call. Name after name, the veterans in attendance responded, “Sir, here, sir,” to Col Pandes, until the names of the fallen Golden Hawks were announced. To commemorate the fallen, EDHS trumpeters, Cameron Kish and Brandon Ofenstein, played “Taps,” the unmistakable melody performed at U.S. military funerals and memorials.
For second year in a row, all students and staff were able to live stream the Veterans Day ceremony in their classrooms courtesy of El Dorado’s Digital Media Arts Academy. Watch the full ceremony below.
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