MHS students, faculty remember lives lost during Memorial Day ceremony
L-R: Brinkley Hodshon, Morgan McMahan, Jordan Murphy and Kyle Lanning. Mitchell High students and faculty took time on Monday, May 23 to remember fallen veterans ahead of Memorial Day in a special ceremony.
Mitchell High School students on Monday, May 23 took time to honor fallen veterans during the school’s Memorial Day Recognition Ceremony sponsored by the MHS Young Patriots Club.
It was the first in-person Memorial Day Ceremony in three years for the school as the COVID pandemic changed in-person meeting protocols.
The Mitchell band led off the ceremony with a performance of the National Anthem. Band members Justice Sobolefski, Katie Ollis and Jayden Burleson performed under the guidance of band director Travis Moffitt.
MHS sophomore Brinkley Hodshon followed with brief remarks about the meaning and history of Memorial Day.
“This Memorial Day, take a moment to reflect on the sacrifice many have made so we can remain the land of the free and the home of the brave,” Hodshon said.
Kyle Lanning and junior Morgan McMahan followed by performing “This Is Still the Land of the Free” and the performance was followed by plenty of applause. Junior Jordan Murphy then read a Memorial Day poem.
Students Emma Van Remortel and Maggie Martin went head-to-head in a Memorial Day Trivia Contest. Hurd asked the two students several questions relevant to the day.
Van Remortel won the contest and took home $50 and Martin finished second and earned $40.
To close, all of the names of fallen Mitchell County veterans were read and the ceremony ended with a rendition of Taps by Moffitt.
Also during the day, Young Patriots Club members Luke Barnes, Ty Turbyfill, Elijah Allen and Van Remortel set up the Mitchell graveyard to remember fallen veterans.
“I hope you get the true meaning of Memorial Day out of it,” Hurd said. “It’s to remember the dead.”