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WVMS hosts annual May We Honor You veterans brekfast for Memorial Day

A group of children holding American flags stand in a hallway with a man in a suit, while lockers and a classroom are visible in the background.

Warwick Valley Middle School continued its tradition of honoring local veterans with the annual May We Serve You Veterans Recognition Breakfast, bringing together students, families, and community members to commemorate Memorial Day.

WVMS principal Jared Yapkowitz welcomed attendees and acknowledged the event’s significance. He pointed out that this year marks nearly two decades since the middle school hosted its first veterans breakfast, which was originally a Valentines for Vets-style event held in February. 

See a gallery of photos from the breakfast below this story!

“Thank you all for your service to our country,” said Mr. Yapkowitz. “With Memorial Day coming up, we think this is a great way to really reflect and honor everybody in this room today. The examples set by our veterans have a lasting impact on our students. Your stories and sacrifices remind all of us about the values of courage, commitment, and community, and it’s important for our students to see and hear directly from those who have served.”

A group of children holding American flags stand in a hallway with a man in a suit, while lockers and a classroom are visible in the background.

Mr. Yapkowitz introduced WVMS teacher and long-time veterans breakfast organizer Joan Rueckert, who also emphasized the sense of community the event fosters. 

“We are so honored to welcome you, to pay homage to your service, and to feed you,” she said. “What better way to make friends and to break bread than this? And I love that we have so many of our students here with their grandparents and parents; it's just lovely.”

Two students film a woman holding a microphone in a school hallway with purple lockers in the background.

Ms. Rueckert introduced a combined musical group made up of WVMS band, orchestra, and chorus members, joined by music teachers Peter Van de Water, Christy Brown, Ryan Muehlbauer, and Shane Peters, to perform the national anthem. They followed that up with The Armed Forces Salute, a patriotic medley of the official songs of the six branches of the US military. Veterans stood at attention when their branch’s song was played. The chorus, including many WVMS Ukulele Club members strumming, followed up with a set of music as the breakfast continued. 

Before breakfast was served, Superintendent Dr. David Leach highlighted the many ways that veterans are recognized across the district.

“This is such an important part of the fabric of the school district. We have traditions like this in place in all our schools in some way, shape, or form,” said Dr. Leach. The district welcomes veterans to enjoy lunch at the high school and share their stories with students in history classes, and both Park Avenue and Sanfordville host incredible celebrations. “We feel it's an important component of the academic program, preparing the children for their future, to respect those who helped them have the privileges and rights that they enjoy today.” 

Dr. Leach also took a moment to honor Ms. Rueckert. “Joan has been an extraordinary ambassador for the school district and, of course, for this specific cause — recognizing those who have provided this honorable service to our country.”

Ms. Rueckert then introduced Thomas Zawaski, a member of the Polish Legion of American Veterans, Post 16 in Pine Island. Mr. Zawaski explained the meaning behind an important and visually striking detail of the morning: the “missing man’s table.”

A white tablecloth covers a small table with American flags in the foreground, while people sit at tables in the blurred background.

“Each item on this table represents some sort of sacrifice that our heroes gave: The white tablecloth signifies pure love for the country. The red rose symbolizes the blood and sweat our heroes endured. The slice of lemon represents the bitter fate they met for our country. The salt signifies the tears of grief shed by family, friends, and all Americans,” Mr. Zawaski explained, adding after a moment of silence, “And this is why we have Memorial Day.”

Along with the musical entertainment, Warwick Valley students were involved in every aspect of the breakfast. High school and middle school students, working with teachers Chelsea Fox and Kerry McKay, prepared and served the food, working in the Home & Careers and Culinary kitchens at the middle school. They supplied and staffed a 50-foot-long buffet station featuring eggs, waffles, bacon, fresh fruit, and more. More students provided tableside service to those guests who needed it.

There were also colorful handmade cards — many of them Valentines — spread out on every table. They included welcome messages, along with statements of gratitude and appreciation for veterans. Thank you for your service! 

 

EVENT GALLERY

A woman speaks into a microphone in the foreground, while a student orchestra performs in the background.
Six young people in aprons stand in a kitchen with a butcher block island in the foreground and stainless steel appliances in the background.
Two students film a woman holding a microphone in a school hallway with purple lockers in the background.
A man in a blue shirt and white apron cooks in a commercial kitchen with stainless steel counters and a stove in the foreground.
A group of children in aprons stand behind a table laden with patriotic-themed baked goods, with a gymnasium in the background.
A young man in an apron pulls a tray of food from a commercial oven, with a classroom setting visible in the background.
A man in a veteran's cap speaks into a microphone in the foreground, while a student orchestra performs in the background.
Four smiling girls wearing patriotic leis stand in a hallway with a mural on the wall behind them.
In the foreground, a table laden with colorful desserts and baked goods is displayed, while in the background, several young people in aprons stand attentively.
People serve themselves from a buffet of food in a room with fluorescent lighting and a wooden paneled wall.
Young musicians play string and brass instruments in the foreground, while a man in a blue jacket and cap stands in the background.
A young girl in a red %22Warrior%22 shirt sings into a microphone in front of a piano decorated with patriotic bunting, while an orchestra of students plays instruments in the background.
A young girl in a red jacket sings into a microphone in front of a piano decorated with patriotic bunting, while a boy plays a cajon drum in the foreground and an orchestra of students plays instruments in the background.
An elderly man and several police officers sit at a red-clothed table with patriotic decorations in the foreground, while a blurred background shows a gathering of people in a large room.
A group of people, mostly older men and women, are gathered around a table covered with a blue tablecloth, with balloons and decorations visible in the background.
A youth orchestra performs on a stage with a red curtain and American flags in the background, while a table with patriotic decorations sits in the foreground.
A group of young musicians plays instruments on a stage with a red floor in the foreground and a dark curtain backdrop.
A young man stands behind a table with two girls, decorated with balloons and a checkered tablecloth, in front of a brick wall.
Several men in VFW hats sit at a red-covered table with American flags and pamphlets, while others mingle in the background of a brightly lit room.
Three men in the foreground sit at a red-covered table with patriotic crafts, while a blurred background shows a room with other people and decorations.
Three smiling people sit at a blue-covered table in the foreground, with a decorated wall and other attendees visible in the background.
Two men, one older with white hair and the other younger with tattoos, sit at a blue-covered table in the foreground, while in the background, other people are visible in a room with a mural and a clock on the wall.
Four men and two women are seated at a red-covered table in the foreground, with a mural of a tree in a field and inspirational text on the wall in the background.
A group of people, some seated at a blue-covered table in the foreground, are gathered in a room with a mural of a tree and inspirational text on the wall in the background.
A group of people, including a man in a floral shirt and a boy, sit at a red-covered table in the foreground, while a room with other attendees and a sign is visible in the background.
Elderly people sit at a table with American flags and a %22Veterans Breakfast%22 sign in the foreground, while a blurred background shows a doorway and a bulletin board.
A group of people, including veterans, are seated at a table with American flags in the foreground, while a screen displays an image in the background.
In the foreground, two women are seated at a table while a third woman stands and speaks to them, and in the background, a mural of a tree and landscape adorns the wall of a room with tables and chairs.
Four adults and one teenager pose for a photo in the foreground, with a blurred background of a stage and audience.
In the foreground, young musicians play brass instruments like trombones and saxophones, while in the background, other students play violins and cellos in an orchestra setting.
Three people, two older men and a young boy, sit at a red table with American flags in the foreground, while a room with other attendees and a clock on the wall is visible in the background.
A white tablecloth covers a small table with American flags in the foreground, while people sit at tables in the blurred background.
A group of children holding American flags stand in a hallway with a man in a suit, while lockers and a classroom are visible in the background.
A group of young people in aprons walk down a hallway, carrying a tray of food.