Veterans Day honorees: Private First Class John Parham, Marine Corps; Engineman 2nd Class Earl Opperman, Coast Guard; 3rd Class Petty Officer Daniel Valencia, Navy; First Lieutenant Leonie Palmer, US Army Nurse Corps; Petty Officer 2nd Class Jeqwan Williams, Navy; AWF1 Kyron Anderson, Navy; E4 Artillery Ruben Gomez, Army; Corporal Juan Ortega, Marine Corps; Private First Class Anthony Mahan, Army; Private Vanessa Gaheta, Army; Hospital Corpsman 3rd class Jason Sanders, Navy; Sergeant Maggie Finneran, Marine Corps; Andre Bono; Sergeant David Spero, Marine Corps; Lance Corporal Ernest Hyde III, Marine Corps; Sergeant Gordon Leary, Air Force; Sergeant Ruben Gomez, Army
Students at Werner Elementary in Rialto got a first-hand look at courage and sacrifice during a Veterans Day assembly Nov. 10.
More than a dozen veterans — all family members of students and staff — received special honors as ‘Werner Stars’ and were celebrated with cheers and applause from youngsters for their time in the military.
One-by-one veterans introduced themselves and their children, grandchildren or family member ran up from the crowd to proudly give hugs.
One veteran, LCpl Ernest Hyde III, U.S. Marine Corps, received a standing ovation.
Hyde is a custodian at the school and was surprised with a certificate. Photos of him in service were enlarged and made into a poster, which will be permanently displayed at the school.
“It’s overwhelming,” he said. “Definitely a surprise, but it’s a great feeling.”
Werner’s Nov. 10 event marked the first time the Rialto school formally recognized veterans on campus. But the celebration did not stop there – students gave “thank you” notes to all in attendance and sent additional notes of support to former military personnel at VA Loma Linda and USO Ontario.
Students at Werner Elementary School in Rialto surprised Ernest Hyde, the school’s custodian during a special assembly Nov. 10 in honor of Veterans Day.
