Middle school puts students in the footsteps of a solider

Eagle Rock Middle School is once again helping honor those men and women in service with their annual Veterans Day celebration.

The school has been putting this program on for the past five years.

Seventh-grade students were able to be part of a learning simulation called “Walking in the Footsteps of a Soldier.” They were given a dog tag with the information of a veteran from the last 100 years.

The simulations will take students through the different stages of the military.

“It is real life. It is a real-life person,” said Jeff Cannon, an eighth-grade history teacher. “It is not a fictional character, it is as real as it can possibly get for us. I think (the students) take away a sense of patriotism and appreciation. They understand how important it is to serve a country and think of something bigger than yourself.”

While the seventh-graders were in the simulation, the eighth-graders took part in three breakout question-and-answer sessions with local veterans.

In addition, 50 American flags were on display all week in front of the school on Pancheri Drive.

A display of military equipment from the Idaho National Guard Armory was also at the school on Friday afternoon.

Military memorabilia was in trophy cases located in the school’s commons area all week, with student messages to veterans posted throughout the school.