Students at Enterprise Attendance Center took some time away from classes Friday to do something equally important: honoring veterans.

     The school hosted around 40 veterans for its annual Veterans Day celebration in the school gym.

     The morning’s events were complete with a breakfast, speeches and music from Copiah-Lincoln Community College’s Sojourners musical group. Several Enterprise students read excerpts from speeches and introduced speakers.

     Enterprise teacher Ashley Jones told her story about growing up in a military household and marrying a man who served as well. She spoke about how her young children have spent a great portion of their lives away from their fathers, as many children across the nation have recently.

     Col. Kenneth W. Powell, a Lincoln County native, was the featured speaker at the celebration. He talked about the importance of veterans to the nation and the great sacrifices they make.

     “Our veterans have given honorable service for the glory and honor of America,” he said. “It’s through such people that our basic liberties have been fought for and preserved.”

     Powell mentioned the time veterans often spend away from their families, especially during times of war, and how the public should at least appreciate them for what they do.

     “The least we can do is thank a veteran for what they did,” he said. “Veterans ask for very little in return for their sacrifices. Every vet here answered the call, and they responded. One of the Lord’s greatest gifts to our country is the willingness of men and women to serve.”

     Enterprise Principal Shannon Eubanks said the Veterans Day program has been going on for several years. He credited the school’s student council for making it possible.

     “They put it on nearly on their own,” he said.

     Eubanks said the school had a Veterans Day ceremony in the past, but it faded away over time until students at the school had a close-up look at someone who served their country.

     “A former agriculture teacher here, Jason Avants, had served and approached us about doing a Veterans Day program,” he said.

     Eubanks said after that, the student council took over.

     In a world of high stakes testing that forces many schools to stray away from events such as Friday’s, Eubanks said his school would never cease to hold such activities.

     “This is more important than state tests to me,” he said. “To me this is what school’s about. It teaches history and allows us to reach out to the community. We’re fortunate to have such a school and school board that we can do that.”