Red, white and blue

MT. PLEASANT - On Thursday, Mt. Pleasant High School students were invited to wear red, white, and blue clothing on 'Patriot Day” to celebrate veterans and help raise money for a care package being sent to Scott Stribe, a high school social studies teacher and his unit which is deployed in Kosovo.

Organized by English teacher Jessi Rich, the day is aimed at celebrating veterans who currently teach at the school, and those who live in the community. It intends to get students involved and letting the community know they have support.

'The ideas were to connect our students with those [veteran] community members and letting them know that we support them and celebrate them,” Rich said.

Rich normally organizes an annual veterans breakfast at the high school where community veterans are invited into the school to eat breakfast, listen to the school choir sing and talk with students.

However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and safety concerns that come with it, the school was unable to have the Veterans Breakfast this year. Instead, Rich, a veteran herself, came up with a few ideas to celebrate veterans at the school and in the community.

'We wanted to somehow show that we are thankful for veterans in the community and that we support them,” Rich said.

The teacher decided that since Stribe had been recently deployed, it would be a great idea to send him and his unit a care package filled with snacks, laundry items and other commodities that aren't available in Kosovo. The idea was to help Stribe and his Iowa National Guard unit cope with placement in an unfamiliar location. Rich is hopeful the community will contribute to the care package, even if it's only a few dollars.

'I'm hoping that a lot of people will remember to wear patriotic clothes, and to donate even if it's a dollar or two,” Rich said.

Along with a care package, Rich has asked the Mt. Pleasant video team 'MPTV Close-up” to create a video of students thanking veterans for their service. Included in that video will be performances from the Mt. Pleasant High School Chamber Choir. The video will be published on the team's YouTube channel.

In addition, the high school's student council created a poster for students to sign, thanking veterans, that will be sent to the local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) chapter after students sign it on Thursday.

Students and staff decided to accept the challenge and show the school and the community their pride in veterans.

High school Spanish teacher, Meredith Scott, adorned in patriotic gear, thanked veterans for protecting our country and freedoms.

'We wouldn't have any of the freedoms we treasure if we didn't have people defending us and protecting us here, and abroad,” Scott said.

Scott understands the dangers that veterans, current service members and public safety workers face every day.

'Thank you, I appreciate so much what you do for us. I know that every day, even when a local policeman goes out, they might not come home,” Scott said.

Senior Cristina Carthey has a special connection to veterans after her dad served 20 years in the military. Carthey admits that being a military child is not easy, especially when deployments mean her father can be gone for upward of two years. However, she appreciates everything that veterans do to keep us safe.

'It thinks it's important because it memorialized the sacrifices that the men and women have had to make,” Carthey said.

'Thank you very much, and I really appreciate everything you do, even though it might be hard right now,” Carthey added.

Rich said whether it's just wearing patriotic colors, donating, or even thanking a service member they know, she hopes it encouraged students to consider other ways they can engage with the community.

'It's really easy to watch the world happen around you and not get involved. In this way students can get involved and wear patriotic colors,” Rich said.