On Friday, Nov. 11, Bellows Free Students students gathered with dozens of other St. Albans community members and stood in Taylor Park for an hour to honor Vermont’s many veterans with the annual St. Albans Veterans’ Day ceremony.

Departing from BFA at 10:45 a.m., the Bellows Free Academy marching band led the BFA student body down Main Street St. Albans in the annual Veterans’ Day parade. The band and students then circled Taylor Park before eventually falling into the crowd surrounding the park’s Clark Monument.

The ceremony featured a host of impactful speakers, such as Mayor Tim Smith and Senator Bernie Sanders.

“I was so happy to hear Bernie Sanders,” Lincoln Schweers (‘24) said. “He’s my hero.”

The audience also heard student speakers from the Maple Run Unified School District, including BFA’s own Elora Menard (’23).

Throughout these speeches, ceremony attendants were reminded of the true meaning of Veterans’ Day. 

There were many calls to action as well, with Mayor Tim Smith encouraging St. Albans residents lay American flags in front of their homes in order to demonstrate a year-long respect for our veterans. Many speakers also encouraged young people to think about joining the military themselves, with a recruitment officer on site for interested students to speak with.

Some students shared that they enjoyed getting to hear their peers speak, as well as meeting Senator Sanders.

“T’was a groovy experience,” Leeza Kusmit (‘24) said.”

According to Senator Sanders in an interview with The Mercury, the event went wonderfully. 

“I really want to congratulate the city and the town and the Veterans’ Service Association for doing a great job and for, especially, involving young people in the process,” Sanders said.