SANDPOINT — Students, teachers and veterans of several military branches gathered at Sandpoint Middle School Monday to recognize Veterans Day and honor those who have served in the U.S. armed forces. 

Community veterans were invited to the gymnasium, which was decorated with posters celebrating constitutional values and handwritten letters from students recognizing and thanking service members for their commitment to the nation. 

“I did a poll recently, and I found that in our school, on our staff, more than half of them have somebody very close to them who's a veteran,” SMS principal Geoff Penrose told attendees. “It’s a part of the Bullpup community. It’s a part of who we are.”

During the assembly, local veterans shared their experiences serving and the school band performed a collection of marches, including a suite of the official songs of the U.S. service branches. 

Penrose recognized the four SMS staff members who had served in the military and encouraged students to recognize and appreciate the service members around them. 

“Think about the veterans in your lives: the men and women around you all day, every day, who have taken the time and put the commitment in to serve their country,” Penrose said. 

“I encourage you today to go out and really engage with those people … maybe, just maybe, a life of service or a short stint of service might be something that you choose for your life, too.”