St. Joseph Hall on the Incarnate Word Academy campus in Parma Heights was a sea of red, white and blue on May 24 for the 10th annual Military Appreciation Day. The event is the culmination of a yearlong service learning project of IWA’s seventh graders, under the guidance of Stacy Shalala, a seventh grade language arts teacher and chaplain for Strongsville VFW Post 3345.
IWA, led by Mary Whelan, head of school, welcomed students from St. Mary Byzantine School in Cleveland, city officials from Parma Heights and Strongsville, representatives of the Blue Star Mothers Ohio Chapter 26, Strongsville VFW, local veterans and active military service members, Sisters of the Incarnate Word, who sponsor IWA, and other guests for the daylong event.
The school received the Purple Star designation this year from the Ohio Department of Education for its commitment to serve military-connected students and families. IWA offers a variety of services to these students and families. In addition to the staff’s innovative approach of incorporating patriotism across multiple curricula, they participated in professional development to implement procedures that ensure smooth transition for military families. One example is the adoption of flexible workload policy. Military children may inherit household responsibilities in the absence of an active duty parent. At Incarnate Word, teachers provide a quiet place to complete work before the school day ends.
Parma Heights Mayor Mike Byrne, an IWA alumnus, welcomed attendees before Bishop Nelson Perez began the celebration with Mass at 9 a.m. in St. Joseph Hall. Concelebrant was Father Larry Jurcak, pastor of nearby St. John Bosco Parish.
The bishop told those assembled that many people gave their lives to protect the God-given rights that we have today. “We’re celebrating one of those rights today: our Catholic faith.” He said we owe a debt of gratitude to the men and women who served in the military, those who gave their lives in service and those who continue to serve and protect.
In the Gospel, after Jesus washed the apostles’ feet, he asked if they understood what he had done, explaining that he had given them a model of service to follow.
“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for a friend. Thousands of men and women in military service have done this and continue to do this for us,” Bishop Perez said. And although we may use the word love indiscriminately for anything from pizza to people, he said Jesus gave us an image of love. “It looks like this,” he said, pointing to the crucifix. “Sometimes it might be hard to look at, but in giving his life Jesus poured out his love for us. That’s what love looks like.”
The bishop said those in military service do this also, “for people they don’t even know.” He said the veterans attending the event are among those who were willing to sacrifice for others and he asked them to stand for recognition.
“This celebration has been going on for 10 years to honor veterans for their service. We understand what they did and we thank them,” he added.
Bishop Perez also congratulated Whelan, who is retiring after two years as IWA’s head of school.
After Mass, seventh graders presented the annual Memorial Day ceremony. Included were a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, recognition of all veterans and active military personnel in attendance, remarks by Strongsville Mayor Tom Perciak and State Rep. Tom Patton, R-7, who sent his children to IWA and has grandchildren attending; a brief video about and recitation of the Gettysburg Address; remarks by Michelle Konopka, IWA school secretary and mother of a soldier, who talked about what it’s like to be the parent of an active member of the military and a brief talk about the Blue Star Mothers by Pamela Ciccarello, second vice president of Blue Star Mothers Ohio Chapter 26.
Ciccarello told the audience that they can learn a lot from the military lifestyle, including discipline and respect for elders and those in authority. “Being an American is a privilege. Freedom isn’t free,” she added.
The two mayors enjoyed some good-natured banter when Perciak said that his high school, Benedictine, “produced a bishop, Bishop Roger Gries (auxiliary bishop emeritus of Cleveland). Mayor Byrne’s high school (Padua Franciscan) is still working on that,” he quipped.
Perciak and Tim Zvoncheck, commander of Strongsville VFW Post 3345, presented IWA eighth grader Calista Zajac -- who will attend Magnificat High School next year -- with a $500 check to be used toward her tuition. Calista sang the national anthem at IWA and in Strongsville, after being invited by Perciak and the VFW.
Zvoncheck, a Navy veteran, read a description of the POW/MIA table as students Daman Dhillon and Palak Randhawa set it. The small, round table was set with a plate and silverware, an upside-down cup, a slice of lemon, a sprinkling of salt, a bible and a vase of red, white and blue flowers. Although set, the table is not occupied. It honors prisoners of war and those missing in action who are not able to be with their loved ones.
The two girls had a bake sale last summer and raised $120 to benefit IWA’s Warriors for Warriors service program. The money was used to purchase the two purple star banners displayed on the stage during the program.
Connor Stephens, an IWA sixth grader who placed second at the local level of the VFW Patriots Pen contest and first place in the VFW District 7 contest, read his essay. The contest theme was “Why I Honor the American Flag.” Connor received a $200 prize for the local contest and $300 for the district contest.
After the ceremony, veterans and guests enjoyed lunch before meeting students outside for a four-mile “exercise their freedom walk” through Parma Heights. Joining them were IWA teachers, alumni, members of the Parma Heights Police Department, veterans, military friends and parent chaperones.
IWA, which has 395 students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, was established in 1935 as a ministry of the Sisters of the Incarnate Word. A 2013 National Blue Ribbon School honoree, it also is a 10-year winner of the governor’s award for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).
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