Decatur County Middle School Honors Veterans, Reinforces Civic Traditions
Decatur County Middle School held its annual Veterans Day program on November 16, 2025, featuring student led performances and recognition of local veterans and their spouses. The program underscores the school system's role in civic education and community engagement, and it highlights the sustained effort required to preserve such traditions.
On November 16, Decatur County Middle School staged its long running Veterans Day program, a student led presentation that included the school band, choir, and color guard along with readings of poems and stories. The event, founded more than two decades ago by Mrs. Rhonda Mitchell, continued as a public demonstration of respect and gratitude for military service, with local veterans and their spouses formally recognized during the ceremony.
Organizers credited the collaborative work of students, faculty, staff, parents, and veterans for the program's impact. Mrs. Amanda Salas, the school counselor, led planning and coordination, and school officials singled out her efforts for special recognition as an important factor in maintaining the event's scale and tone. Director of Schools Mrs. Melinda Thompson said, "It was an honor to witness such a display of respect to such a deserving crowd."
The program serves multiple community functions beyond honoring service members. For students it is a practical exercise in civic education, providing firsthand exposure to public ritual, respectful commemoration, and intergenerational exchange. For the broader community the event acts as a civic anchor that brings residents together at the school, reinforcing social ties and the public role of local education institutions.
That civic role carries policy implications for local decision makers. Sustaining programs of this sort requires ongoing administrative support, staff time, and reliable funding, particularly when they involve music, ceremonial equipment, and outreach to veterans. The prominence of a school counselor as organizer highlights how personnel assignments influence the capacity of schools to host community events, and invites discussion about resource priorities within the Decatur County School System.
As the program continues to draw community participation, its organizers and local officials will face choices about how to preserve and scale the tradition while ensuring equitable access for students. For residents watching, the ceremony was both a tribute and a reminder that local civic life depends on sustained investment by schools, families, and veterans themselves.
