Memorial Day Assembly

Reece Fabrizio, Gillian Horner, Taylor Aptt, Annika Willgren, Clare O’Toole, and Naomi Provost

June 2, 2023

On Friday, May 26, 2023, the high school held a Memorial Day assembly to honor those who served in the United States Armed Forces.

The assembly started with a welcome speech by 11th grader Ella Tran. The veterans then entered the auditorium single file in uniform.

Everyone was then asked to stand for The Pledge of Allegiance led by Hannah Ciriello. Charlotte Madden, a sophomore at HWRHS, sang the national anthem after the pledge was over.

Deputy Chief Judge of the Naval Reserve Trial Judiciary, William F. Martin, spoke and introduced the other service men and women. He then went on to speak about recent concerns regarding eligibility for the military.

Deputy Chief Judge Bill Martin, speaks to the HWRHS community about how there is a place for anyone who wants it in the military. (Nora Burnett)

Specifically, Martin referenced a statistic from the DOD, which reported: “77% of young Americans ages 17 to 24 would not qualify for military service.”

He questioned this number and implied that if such criteria had been in place previously, it would likely have disqualified many of the men and women who served the country in the past. He believes there is hope and emphasized that all young people have what it takes to serve their country, including today’s youth.

In a particularly powerful moment, Martin concluded his portion of the assembly by asking students and staff to stand if they had a family member who served in the military.

He started by asking people to stand if anyone had a mother or father who served. He went on to ask if anyone had a sibling, uncle, aunt, or grandparents in the military. By the end, most of the faculty and staff were standing. Martin then highlighted a clear connection between a vast majority of the students, faculty, and military members. He encouraged everyone to think about the deeper meaning of Memorial Day.

Throughout the assembly, students were respectful. They listened attentively while quietly honoring those who served in the United States Armed Forces.

The assembly ended with the reading of the names of all those from Hamilton and Wenham who had served and died for their country. The assembly concluded with the playing of Taps by freshman Jane Starr as the veterans exited the auditorium.