Rockne Roll / News-Register##Flags at the McMinnville Christian Academy honor Oregon s fallen.
Rockne Roll / News-Register##Flags at the McMinnville Christian Academy honor Oregon's fallen.
Rockne Roll/News-Register##
Rachel Wilkins, 5, plants an American flag in a row with others Friday as McMinnville Christian Academy student set up their Memorial Day flag display. More than 5,000 flags were erected in the school s front lawn along Baker Creek Road -- one for each Oregonian killed in military service since World War I.
Rockne Roll/News-Register## Rachel Wilkins, 5, plants an American flag in a row with others Friday as McMinnville Christian Academy student set up their Memorial Day flag display. More than 5,000 flags were erected in the school's front lawn along Baker Creek Road -- one for each Oregonian killed in military service since World War I.
By Starla Pointer • Staff Writer • 

Students honor veterans with flags

Preschooler Diego Rios bent down to place a small American flag into a hole the lawn at McMinnville Christian Academy. He made sure the stripes were on the right, with the blue field of stars closest to his left shoulder.

He stood straight. "Thank you for your sacrifice," the little boy said to an Oregon soldier who gave his life in service.

Diego planted a couple more flags Friday morning. His classmates at MCA also planted flags and thanked soldiers all day long, creating a field of 5,099 flags -- one for each Oregonian who has died in battle since World War I.

The flags are set up in a grid pattern that teachers and parents laid out Thursday night, using measuring devices created by a McMinnville High School welding class.

The display will remain on view through the weekend and the Memorial Day holiday. At night, it will be lighted by spotlights provided by Mainline Paving.

"It's okay to barbecue and have fun on Memorial Day," preschool teacher Tara Hessel told her students. "But what do we do first?"

Asher Crouse, another preschooler, was quick to answer. "We say thank you for your sacrifice!" he said.

Memorial Day is about "people in the Army who died," Asher said.

His classmate Jackson McGanty added, "They sacrificed to keep us safe. They died for freedom."

Hessel and other teachers at the private school make sure students learn about the freedoms for which American military personnel have fought. They learn that children in some other countries don't get to go to school like they do; and in some countries, people can't even speak freely.

McMinnville Christian Academy students also learn that U.S. soldiers may made the ultimate sacrifice, dying for their country. Their sacrifice parallels that of Jesus, students learn.

Children considered that as they planted flags in the lawn beside Baker Creek Road for the Memorial Day display. After putting in each flag, they paused to say, "Thank you for your sacrifice."

Comments

Joel2828

This is awesome! It's worth driving (or walking) by to see.

macgreg

Very nice

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