All of Poplar Bluff Middle School turned out Thursday morning with hand-drawn signs and flags for the PBMS Veteran’s Day Parade, a cavalcade of veterans, JROTC, musical student groups and even a fire truck.
Principal Josh Teeter explained the parade makes middle schoolers more than bystanders. “The students get to be participants cheering them on and waving their flags.”
The Middle School Honors Choir kicked the Veteran’s Day festivities off by livestreaming a rendition of “In Service Of Our Country” to the school’s Facebook page. They also marched in the parade, which featured the JROTC from Poplar Bluff High School and the junior high cheer squad.
Teeter said around 20 veterans participated in the parade, which winds around the expansive school campus. The school invites former servicemembers to attend through the VA and VFW, and students reach out to veterans in their families. The Shriners and Poplar Bluff Fire Department joined in with a motor clown and a kitted-out engine, respectively.
“It’s definitely a community effort,” Teeter noted.
The parade began last year due to COVID-19 restrictions on indoor gatherings, said Teeter, and was organized by school counselors. He believes that while both solemn and upbeat events are equally appropriate for the holiday, the parade is a better fit for middle school students.
“When we make something a big deal they think, ‘Oh, this must be a big deal, we’re celebrating,’” Teeter said.