Youth Activities: Youth Go Above and Beyond For Our Veterans

Joan Penney
2015-2016 National Youth Activities Ambassador

I know I say the same thing every month: that I am blown away with how our youth go above and beyond working for our veterans! And every time I think I can’t be more impressed another future leader is brought to my attention. I have got to share my latest finds with you! 

This information comes from Youth Trumpets and Taps Corps:

When Katie Prior learned that at many veterans’ funerals a tape recording of Taps is played, instead of a live performance, she decided a change was needed so veterans could get the distinguished tribute they deserve. She recruited her fellow trumpet players in her homeschool band, local high schools, and the Oklahoma Youth Orchestras to use their gifts to serve others. Katie is addressing the shortage of military buglers as her leadership project for the Gold Award, the highest recognition for achievement that a Girl Scout can receive. For more information please click here: www.trumpetandtaps.org.

I know there are countless examples of youth working for veterans, but sometimes we need a gentle reminder of the importance of veterans, which is exactly what Buzz Williams, the Virginia Tech men's basketball coach opted to do for his players. He brought in a group of military veterans to teach his team the importance of standing at attention for the national anthem. The coach had his players stand behind the sideline chairs with the veterans standing in front of the chairs while delivering this message:

“These guys, when they were your age, interrupted their life, they paused their education, they changed their career, they gave their life for those chairs. So when the anthem is played, we’re going to stand like grown men and we’re going to honor men like this that gave their life so we can have a chair to sit in.”  

Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWRJvl2TkNk

Thank you for sharing all the wonderful things youth are doing for our nation's veterans! Don't forget to thank them for their support of veterand and their families with the Youth Groups Supporting Our Veterans Citation. Click here to request the citation from National Headquarters.