A tribute to people who served in the U.S. Armed Forces, Veteran’s Day takes place on the 11th this year and Key Club has big plans for the day. Each year the students in Key Club put together care packages for nominated citizens who are veterans from the army. There are about 19.5 million veterans in the U.S. today! The main reasons we celebrate it is to thank those that risked their lives to defend America, to reflect on the importance of peace, and to draw attention to vast challenges veterans face. Pottsgrove students in Key Club annually work together to create care packages with sweets, trinkets, and feel-good items to those that are nominated.

Some information you may not have known, our very own vice principal, Mr. Stein, served in Iraq and Syria. Mr. Stein was a marine corps, “If I was going to serve, I’d want the toughest challenge.” He was a part of Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003-2011), which was to end the regime of Saddam Hussein, to identify, isolate and eliminate Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction. Then lastly, to search for, capture and to drive out terrorists from that country. Mr. Stein explains he joined the army after his forefathers, “I joined the Marines. I am a fourth generation combat veteran in my family. I felt a civic responsibility to serve my country.” Before, he taught AP US History, and where he would discuss locations like the Fertile Crescent and during this time he actually got to be there and see it in real time.

A proud moment for Mr. Stein was building schools in Iraq, he went back to buying chalkboards, desks and chairs where he ensured the boards were the right height for the children. His message to the students of Pottsgrove High School is, “To have an open mind and get to know people before making any judgment. […] I feel fortunate that I get to now see people especially from other places through a different lens. Serving in combat gives you great perspective on people and life as a whole.”