Detroit Lakes High School to host Veterans Day presentation on Friday morning; the event is open to the public

Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – Students and members of the public are invited to attend the Veterans Day program at Detroit Lakes High School on Friday morning.

On Nov. 10, doors will open to the Lakeshirts Fieldhouse at 10:10 a.m. for an event aimed at honoring lakes area veterans and their service.

Rob Ullyott, social studies teacher at Detroit Lakes High School and an organizer of the event, said he believes it’s important for students to hear directly from lakes area veterans about their service and it gives the school a chance to partner with community veterans service organizations.

“It’s just terribly, terribly important, I think, that we continue educating our students as to what veterans mean to our country and to be thankful for our freedoms and such,” said Ullyott. “Also, one of our goals at the high school is to pair with the community more and not only bring more of that local flavor into our classroom but into our entire school.”

He also said they have started trying to do their large, educational version of the Veterans Day program every other year for the students. Last year, the expanded program brought more than 60 area veterans into the classrooms for stories and questions about their service with the high schoolers.

“We do the large program and the educational piece every other year,” said Ullyott. “Last year, we had that big day. I think we had almost 65 vets come in. We did a breakfast for them in the morning, we had a ceremony down in the gym and then we dispersed. And we had vets in several classrooms and we tried to pair them up so they’ve got someone there with them. It’s all teacher led, monitored and facilitated. And (the vets) tell their stories to the kids and there’s interaction back and forth and a lot of questions that are asked.”

Adding, last year, four veterans who participated in the event served during WWII and three of the four have since passed away.  

This year’s program will consist of an assembly and presentation from the local veterans service organizations.

The event will feature the service anthems and music performed by members of the Detroit Lakes High School Choir and Band and culminate in an outdoor 21-gun salute conducted by the Lake Region Veterans Color Guard, which is made up from veterans from across the lakes area.

Dave Knoph, a member of the color guard, said their group used to do their Veterans Day event at the memorial park on Washington Avenue, but, due to weather and the traffic noise, they wanted to move locations, which allowed for the perfect partnership with the high school.

“Last year, before we started going to the high school, we’d sit down in the memorial park on Washington Avenue” said Knoph. “It was so cold, or snowing, or raining, we never really got an audience. So I went to the high school and talked to Josh Omang … so last year we co-opted together and we came up with a program where we were able to be part of the high school and it’s really great that the community is being invited … that’s why I hope pairing our program with the high school and our programs together, it should be a beautiful ceremony.”

Knoph also said being able to share their stories with students may inspire the next generation soldiers, airmen, marines, sailors and guardians to pursue their own military service careers.

“A lot of veterans are humble and proud that they were veterans, but mostly humble in a lot of ways,” said Knoph. “It’s always good to let people know why you are a veteran and why you went and served …  and the patriots are still out there and I think it’s because our stories are being told. And that’s a necessity for them possibly joining the military and becoming veterans themselves.”

The Veterans Day program at Detroit Lakes High School begins on Friday, Nov. 10 at 10:30 a.m. and end with the 21-gun salute at about 11:11 a.m. to honor the official holiday on Nov. 11.