Girard High School will host the 48th annual Veterans Day Program on Friday, Nov. 11, at 10 a.m. in Ted R. Taylor Gymnasium.
The public is invited to attend and hear John Kotzman give the keynote address.
Mr. Kotzman graduated from Frontenac High School, attended the University of Arkansas, and then attended Pittsburg State University where he enlisted in the Navy Reserve and served on a U.S. Navy gunboat in the Mekong Delta during the Vietnam War.
Through his military service he continued a family tradition. His father and father-in-law served during World War II, and his son, John Nick Kotzman, served in the U.S. Army in several countries, including Qatar in the Persian Gulf as a commander in charge of a seaport, retiring as a U.S. Army lieutenant colonel.
Mr. Kotzman taught at Lamar and Nevada before coming to Girard in 1977 as a high school social studies teacher and coach, serving in that capacity for 19 years. He served as an assistant principal and athletic director at Frontenac before returning to the classroom and coaching at Pittsburg High School.
His wife Beth was a reading specialist at Haderlein Elementary and then worked as a consultant for the Education Service Center in Greenbush.
Both are now retired and enjoy spending time with their three children and eight grandchildren.
Mr. Kotzman was invited to speak by the GHS Student Council and sponsor Mark McFarland, who are responsible for hosting the event.
Prior to the program, a 9 a.m. breakfast will be served in the GHS cafeteria to all veterans who wish to attend, with the ceremony directly following.
Student Council president Hadyn Herlocker will serve as master of ceremonies while Student Council vice president Trent Broce will provide a history of Armistice Day.
Krista Jarboe and Jordan Lowe, members of Terry Wunder’s drama program, will read commemorative poems during the ceremony.
These include “Empty Visit” by Judith L. Floyd, “Just Another Soldier” by Bruce A. Harbison, “Song of the Soldiers” by Charles G. Halpine and “Visit Remembered” by Judith Patton Flynn.
The GHS Band, under the direction of Willey Abati, will play “America,” arranged by Bob Cotter, and “Marches of the Armed Forces,” arranged by Michael Sweeney.
Jalen Merrell, from the GHS Chorus, will sing “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Following a moment of silence, Zach Trageser and Derrick Amend will play “Taps.”
A highlight of the program will be a video that features approximately 300 local veterans, produced by Kelly Burnick’s multimedia class.
Anyone who has a veteran to include in next year’s video may contact Mrs. Burnick by phone at 724-4326 or by email at kburnick@girard248.org.
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