- April 6, 2025
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OKES students wave American flags during the opening number "Heart of America." Photo by Paige Wilson
Palm Coast resident and U.S. Marine Corps veteran Rick Blaine reads a homemade thank-you card given to him, as OKES student Nikolas Lee parades the Marine flag around the cafeteria. Photo by Paige Wilson
Bottom: Claire Kirksey, Varvara Fedunova, Kacie Jones and Riley Fehrenkamp. Middle: Amirah Kardas, Daniela Mendez and Eliana Mendez. Photo by Paige Wilson
U.S. Army veteran Jose Calderon applauds the students after he received a thank-you card for his service. Photo by Paige Wilson
Music teacher Rodney Harshbarger signals to the students to conclude the final song "God Bless the USA." Photo by Paige Wilson
An OKES student waves the American flag during the singing of "God Bless the USA." Photo by Paige Wilson
OKES student Chaz Curry holds up the U.S. Navy flag while Navy Seabee veteran Jeff Bright stands to be recognized. Photo by Paige Wilson
OKES students wave American flags during the opening number "Heart of America." Photo by Paige Wilson
As 55 Old Kings Elementary School students belted out lyrics to "God Bless the USA" by Lee Greenwood to conclude the veterans showcase, families in the audience gave the patriotic tikes a standing ovation.
The second-annual showcase was originally scheduled for Flagler Beach's First Friday event on Nov. 2, but poor weather delayed the performance, which was then held Tuesday, Nov. 13, in the OKES cafeteria.
The performers were made up of third- through sixth-graders from the after-school chorus group and other choir students that music teacher Rodney Harshbarger has in classes throughout the school year.
New to this year's showcase was the introduction song, "Heart of America," by Teresa Jennings. Harshbarger said he added this piece to give the students new material to learn. The song of each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces was also sung. Veterans (and their spouses) in the audience who served in each branch were invited to stand during their respective song. While they stood, OKES student Maddox Harshbarger handed out homemade thank-you cards to them.
"It brings an awareness in this day and age where our world is at constant war," Harshbarger said. "Every single class has somebody it seems who's in Afghanistan now or was there or some connection throughout their family."
A veteran himself, Harshbarger served in the U.S. Navy.
"I think Veterans Day should be veterans season instead of just one day," he said.
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