EAST hosted the annual Veteran’s Day event called “Hour with a Hero” in the Performing Arts Center Nov. 8 which featured several honored guest speakers.

“The purpose of this assembly is to first of all make students aware of how important patriotism is and how important veterans are. Without them they wouldn’t be here today, and I wouldn’t be able to answer these questions,” said sophomore Robert Watson.

A former student of EAST coordinator Debbie Lamb, Eddie Luper, started Hour with a Hero seven years ago when he wanted to do something to honor his father. Two years ago Luper, a 2009 graduate, died of a brain aneurysm.

“Every year it is my passion to honor him in a way that he would be proud,” said EAST teacher Mrs.          Lamb.

With this assembly being in honor of so many people Mrs. Lamb and the EAST students had a lot of work to do to make this assembly a success.

“We started preparing for this assembly back before school started. It takes a lot of people to come together to put it on,” said sophomore Kaitlin Tucker.

In preparation for the assembly the students have to get honorees for the assembly, reserve the facilities, make an agenda for the event, and make a video that tells a story. Although the preparation may be stressful EAST students step up to the challenge and embrace it.

“ I love the preparation of the event and interviewing veterans and just getting to interact with all the veterans,” said senior Alex Collins.

Every first Saturday of the month, the EAST students joined veterans for breakfast at the American Legion breakfasts.

“They went to memorials, veterans homes, and to American Legion breakfasts the first Saturday of every month just to hear the stories and try to understand what they’re going through and what it is like,” said Mrs. Lamb.

Veterans who were honored during the event were Rear Admiral Luke McCollum, Lt. Col. Buster McCall, Lt. Col. Brian Burger, Major Rodell Severson, Mrs. Mary Eileen Ameigh, and Lt. Col. Ronald Butler.