- April 5, 2025
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Nicholas Lee holds up the U.S. Marine Corp flag and Elizabeth Tate holds up the U.S. Army flag as the OKES chorus sings. Photo by Paige Wilson
Rodney Harshbarger, a U.S. Navy veteran and the Old Kings music teacher, leads the students in song. Photo by Paige Wilson
OKES first-grader Maddox Harshbarger holds up a thank-you card before he gives it to a veteran. Photo by Paige Wilson
Paisley Billek, Kayla Dalton and Aaralyn Weeks sing. Photo by Paige Wilson
Rodney Harshbarger helps OKES student Nicholas Tate hoist up the American flag during the performance. Photo by Paige Wilson
OKES students Elizabeth Tate, Gwen Peres, Aliyah Kraer, Hayden Mobley, Chloe Skoglund and Claire Richter. Photo by Paige Wilson
A Vietnam War veteran, who goes by the name Sledgehammer, stands during the OKES students' performance. Photo by Paige Wilson
OKES students decorated cards to hand out to veterans during the performance. Photo by Paige Wilson
Ashlee Barrett (top left) and Gwen Peres (bottom middle) sing with their fellow OKES choir peers. Photo by Paige Wilson
U.S. Navy veteran, Rodney Harshbarger, leads the OKES chorus. Photo by Paige Wilson
Old Kings Elementary School first-grader Maddox Harshbarger walked up to his father, Rodney Harshbarger, on the platform stage at Veterans Park in Flagler Beach to hand him a red, white and blue thank-you card.
Rodney, who is the music teacher at OKES, is a U.S. Navy veteran. He graciously took the handmade card from his son and continued directing the Old Kings chorus as they sang the official songs of the U.S. Armed Forces to honor the veterans watching the show.
The OKES after-school chorus joined third and fourth grade students to make a large choir of 62 students, which more than 100 people gathered to watch before the monthly First Friday event on Nov. 3. The students made a box full of thank-you cards to pass out to veterans during the show, while other students held up the flags of the different military branches.
"The kids had a great time," said Rodney Harshbarger, who wore his Navy uniform for the show. "I couldn't get off the stage [after]. Usually, I can off pretty quick with just two or three pictures, but I kept getting pulled aside for pictures and for people saying thank you."
He said he hopes to do a performance to honor veterans next year as well.
The OKES chorus will be back at Veterans Park in December for a holiday showcase.
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