As Chad Noel read the poem “They Did Their Share” by Joanna Fuchs to his classmates at Sunrise Elementary School during the school’s Veterans Day assembly it brought tears to his eyes.

The fifth-grade student comes from a long line of those who served their country in the armed forces.

His mother Lori, along with Veterans of Foreign Wars member Elbert Reed, organized the assembly complete with representatives from each branch of the service, a video presentation, members of the local VFW Post 1949 and members of Boy Scout Troop 422, Pack 500. Also participating were Enumclaw High School trumpeter Chris Beinke and drummer Rain Scipper.

Principal Chris Beals reminded the students why they would not be in school Veterans Day. He told them of the armistice to end World War I and reminded them of their own connections to those who have served. On the back wall of the gymnasium, students created a display with the names of family members who served between 1914 and today. The largest representation of names came from the World War II era.

VFW member Milt Till shared his memories of that period with the children. Fellow VFW member Al Lau shared his memories from the Korean War, while Anne DuPuis told the students about being an Army nurse during the Vietnam War.

Marine Staff Sgt. Michael Eirls Jr., Army Staff Sgt. Nathan Lewis and Army Sgt. First Class Charles Brass spoke about the recent wars of Desert Storm and Iraq.

Staff Sgt. Andrew Wickre, who attended elementary school in Black Diamond and high school at White River before graduating from nearby Tahoma, represented the Air Force. Puyallup-based recruiter James Rogers, machinist first class, represented the Navy.