KELSEYVILLE — In June, Mountain Vista Middle School graduates were given the opportunity to represent their school and support the troops by participating in the “Wreath Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier” at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
During the ceremony, the participants placed a wreath on the tomb as a patriotic and memorial gesture toward fallen soldiers.
Four Mountain Vista students were selected to be part of the official ceremonial party based upon essays they submitted. The theme was “What an American Soldier Means to Me.”
The finalists were Mariah Rudnick, Cheyenne Sheckells, Sarah Sheridan and Juliann Totorica.
In her essay, Rudnick stated, “Family is the most important people in your life, and they won”t be there forever. Some people from wars are never discovered. Their families are buried in heartbreak and sorrows trying to live through it? Family is everything, and I can represent the families.”
Totorica, who has enlisted family members, described being an American soldier as the most honorable and brave thing anyone can do. In her essay, she stated, “American citizens are truly living in the home of the brave? At the heart of our freedom are the soldiers who protect it. If all American soldiers decided to stop fighting, we would not stay free long.”
Though Rudnick and Totorica were recognized as having the best essays of the four, the finalists decided amongst themselves who would place the wreath. Rudnick and Sheridan were chosen.
During the ceremony, Totorica and Sheckells stood with their right hands over their hearts. Uniformed soldiers stood beside them rendering the military hand salute and a bugler played “Taps.”
Both Rudnick and Totorica gave speeches at their graduation ceremony in June and were recognized for receiving the 2012 President”s Award for Educational Excellence. Totorica also represented the student body during the school year as Treasurer.
According to Rudnick, the finalists were accompanied by about thirty other Mountain Vista students, five parent volunteers, three teachers and a tour guide. The group was visiting selected monuments in the New York and Washington D.C. area.
