10/04/2026
God bless America!
The 7th and 8th graders at Unity Ridge are participating in a writing competition through the VFW with a theme of "What a veteran taught me about America," and our local veterans have stepped up to be interviewed! We started our week with Sgt. Barry Bergamo, a Vietnam vet, who shared with us his experiences and encouraged us to watch and read a variety of news sources. Staff Sgt. William Smith, an Army Airborne Infantry vet, taught us to take pride in our flag. On Friday, they interviewed three veterans, starting with Lt. Col. Debra North of the Air Force who also expressed to the students the importance of knowing what is going on in the country and being able to have conversations with those who don't agree with you. Local police officer SPC James Krajicek, an Army veteran and father of two Unity Ridge students, spoke of how the Army impacted his life and prepared him for the fulfillment of his goal of law enforcement. Finally, our school board president, SPC Michael Gore, an Army National Guard veteran and father of one of our 7th graders, spoke of his time overseas that reminded our students that our freedoms don't come from people who do nothing. We need to be active in our role as Americans.
