As a tradition for many years, Western Wayne administration, faculty, staff, and students joined together on Friday, Nov. 8, to celebrate veterans in the community with a special in-school event that featured music from the high school band and chorus, a presentation by a keynote speaker, and a question and answer session with the veterans.
Many local veterans attended the presentation at Western Wayne, some of which had special connections to district faculty and students.
One such veteran at the assembly who has a connection to the district is Western Wayne coach Josh Harrison, Army. Harrison served ten years in the army, nine of which were active duty. He served in Afghanistan and one year in the Army National Guard. He is a Western Wayne graduate who left the service in 2021. Currently he works at Signode for his day job and, in addition, coaches a variety of athletics at Western Wayne including: head junior varsity football coach for grades 7 through 9 as well as helping with varsity football; head wrestling coach for boys varsity, girls varsity, and junior high girls.
Harrison graduated from Mansfield University where he played football. When Harrison was younger he never imagined himself being in the military or coaching, but now that he has been on this path he truly believes that it is a life course that was meant for him.
“Coming back to Western Wayne and coaching now feels really great,” Harrison said. “My first time at the Western Wayne Veterans Day assembly was last year. I didn’t realize how many students didn’t know I was a veteran and was glad I could make an even further connection with some of them through their new knowledge about my background. I feel that I use my military background in coaching to teach the kids discipline and organization, but I also want to make sure that they are having fun. I love coaching,” Harrison said.
Fellow school employee and Navy veteran John VanLeuven also enjoys attending the Veterans Day assembly to show the students that people which they see everyday made sacrifices for their country. VanLeuven fondly remembers his experiences in the service as a time when as a young man he had dreamed of leaving his hometown to do something more with his life.
“I grew up on a dairy farm, and I just wanted to see the world,” he said, recalling that during three and a half years in the service he went to 17 countries and 21 cities.
“I think Norway was a favorite place in my military travels,” he explained. “I remember volunteering to give a ladies auxiliary a tour in that country with a number of other soldiers. We learned a lot about the history of the country and had a lot of fun.”
Another veteran in attendance at this assembly who originated the Veterans Day Program at Western Wayne in 1982 is Mr. John Gaudenzi, Sergeant First Class Army and 39 year educator of the Western Wayne School District. Gaudenzi originated the Veterans Day festivities at Western Wayne with fellow teacher Marie Casper.
Gaudenzi knows many veterans throughout the local community and says that many of them tell him that the quality of the Western Wayne Veterans Day Program is one of the best they have ever attended.
Gaudenzi was hired in 1974 to teach at the district and recalls vividly being asked in his interview if he would move to the district he teaches in.
Now for many years not only does Gaudenzi and his wife live in the district but they also get the pleasure of watching so many students Gaudenzi taught grow up and continue to shine as adults.
“We live in the district and have seen former students grow up to be great parents, teachers, and people,” Gaudenzi said. “We are proud of them all, and I’m most proud of having been a Western Wayne teacher.”
The keynote speaker of the assembly this year was Melissa McWilliams, Army Sergeant and bronze star medal recipient from Lake Wallenpaupack, who served five years as a paratrooper. Before she joined the military and spent time in Afghanistan, McWilliams started her nursing degree at Old Dominion University and then would go on to finish it after she served at Texas A&M University being the first person in her family to earn a college degree.
She decided to join the service because her family life was challenging growing up, and she was looking for a sense of purpose in a close knit community.
McWilliams worked in nursing in Texas after her time in the service being the first person in her family to earn a college degree. She later in 2017 started working for Wayne County Drug and Alcohol and has spent the past six years working with students in the Western Wayne School District offering services in prevention education. In addition, she coaches cheerleading at Wallenpaupack School District.
“I like to make an impact on others,” she said. “Even the smallest impact matters.”
McWilliams is grateful for her time in the service and how it shaped both her as a person and the course of her life, and she challenged the students in attendance to think about considering the military as an option for their futures.
“Your future is yours,” she said. “It doesn’t matter where you came from. You can make your future what you want it to be. The military gave me a family for the first time. My experience there was the most powerful change in my life.”
McWilliams continued imparting more strong advice to the entire middle and high school student bodies, “ You have the opportunity in front of you to choose what path you want to take, and I challenge you to listen to the stories of veterans. A life in military service can push you to do things you never thought you were capable of doing before,” she said. “ I’m grateful for all of the values the military instilled in me. That is why I am the person who I am today.”
McWilliams is currently pursuing her second degree through the military to follow a further path to work in the field of psychology/ psychiatry and help others facing many challenges in their lives just as she faced challenges in her young life.
One of the final parts of the assembly after the beautiful music provided by the Western Wayne Band and Chorus was the annual Veterans Question and Answer Session.
A variety of veterans including McWilliams continued to impart their wisdom and past experiences to the students in attendance. A new addition to both the panel and the Western Wayne School District this year is our new Middle School principal Casey Newcomer, Army National Guard.
He encouraged the students to pursue whatever mission in life personally calls to them whether it is to military service or another path.
“Be humble,” Newcomer told the students. “The room is always smaller than the individual. It is important to lean on your team and trust the people around you. Keep the mission first.”
Picture One: Back row, from left: Mr. Paul Gregorski, high school principal; Jared Goldman, Madison Trapanese, Makenzie Chearney, Sofia Ochlan, Mr. John Gaudenzi, Sergeant First Class Army; Aiden Van Orden, Cameron Press, Danika Duffy, Audrey McHugh, and Major Shane Grodack, USMC retired. First row: Madison Forgione, Bryn Vinton, and keynote speaker Melissa McWilliams, Army sergeant. All students pictured are part of Western Wayne’s Student Ambassador Program and helped at the Veterans Day event.
Picture Two: Mr. Taber Starnes, high school chorus teacher, conducts his singers at the Veterans Day assembly.
Picture Three: Mrs. Elaine Ort, high school band director, conducts her band at the Veterans Day assembly.
Picture Four: Senior Lilly Maros plays “Taps” to close out the assembly with senior Kaleb Franko, not pictured.
