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CNO File Photo, 2017
The Unsung Hero
Chris Mortensen & Rhonda Schaar
September 10, 2018
The K-8 students and staff will take a moment to remember a day of
tragedy and of unification of people around those who stood as heroes
on September 11, 2001. We have heard it asked many times, “Where
are all the heroes today?” We often consider the acts of people
that occur randomly, and in the moment, to be our indicators as to
whether a person is heroic or not. In this, I would not disagree,
but I believe we can look more superficially to find those heroes as
well. We may find that there are more heroic acts than we would
let ourselves acknowledge. To us September 11, 2001 was one event
that brought this truth to light for our community and country as a
whole, yet it seems that, that was a distant memory. Spotting
heroes can simply be a matter of looking beyond our own preconceived
notions of what a hero could be.
We, as a society, often overlook the simple acts of heroism as simply,
“the job.” They are often not looked at as heroes, because they
accepted the role and are often paid to perform the duty. This simple
act takes one from being looked at as a hero to just performing their
job. Take a couple of examples in mind and think to yourself how we
portray this to those around us: A Police Officer or Sheriff
Officer, is this someone who puts their life on the line every time
they approach a car or enter a building or are they seen as someone who
writes tickets for not stopping at the stop sign completely or stopping
us, because we were driving too fast. How about this one...kids,
make sure you have your seatbelt on, there is a police officer.
They are portrayed as something to fear rather than someone who
protects and defends.
In looking back, I would like to believe that our portrayal of these
actions is one that demonstrates the risk and honor that our local law
enforcement, fire fighters and rescue services face daily. I
would also say that in conversation with any of these service men and
women, they do not see themselves as heroes, but doing what needs to be
done. In taking a closer look, we know that heroes abound, and
they are individuals willing to stand against the fray. This is
the reason that we take time on September 11 to recognize the members
of these organizations as well as those members of the armed forces who
take on the responsibility of keeping us and our children safe.
We are proud to have the opportunity to share with our students in the
K-8 facility just what it means to truly be a hero and to accept the
risk of keeping each of them safe every day. On Tuesday,
September 11, 2018, we will take a small moment of our day to share our
admiration for those heroes and to acknowledge the friends, family and
loved ones lost in the name of our safety and freedom. We do this
to remind us all, of the dedication and courage that it takes to stand
up for what is right. It is not free, and it certainly comes at a
cost.
Our guest speaker to the students for the September 11 ceremony is
retired Army Veteran and retired Sheriff’s Officer, Steve
Stebbins. He is a past graduate of Greenville City School of the
class of 1966, was wounded twice in the Vietnam War receiving two
purple hearts and the bronze star. He was a member of the
Sheriff’s department for 35 years before retiring. We are excited
to have him as a speaker for our students regarding September 11 and
our unsung heroes who are here for us in the surrounding local
community.
Perhaps, ask your son or daughter about what they learned regarding the
events of September 11 and the selfless acts of our dedicated service
personnel who answer the call for us all. We feel it is an honor
to keep these memory’s fresh for our community, to commemorate our
heroes and to acknowledge their sacrifice in the name of freedom.
We salute them all for their courage and dedication to public
safety.
Thanks,
Chris Mortensen
Principal @ Greenville Middle School 7/8
Rhonda Schaar
Principal @ Greenville Middle School 5/6
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