several veterans visited the students at their school to talk about what freedom means to them and the choices they made in their lives to help protect our freedom.

We met twice with students from Jackson Elementary School (part of their Completely Kids Summer program) to use the mural project as a catalyst for learning. Students met the artists on Tuesday, July 23, at 9:30 a.m. at the VFW mural site to discuss what freedom means to different people. The kids were able to expresses what freedom means to them by adding writings and drawings of their own to an 8' x 20' mock-up of the mural. It will be on display at the VFW event August 6th and may find a home on the walls of the VFW or Jackson School. The next day, Wednesday, at 9:30 a.m. several veterans visited the students at their school to talk about what freedom means to them and the choices they made in their lives to help protect our freedom. The students were absolutely absorbed in the stories from the veterans who spoke about the need to work hard in school and stay away from gangs as well as told stories about what it's like to drive a tank or how scary it is to camp out with the enemy all around you. The kids were very appreciative of the veterans who included Thomas Parker, Kenny McDonald and Jeremiah Neal.
Afterwards the kids and the Veterans signed the portable version of the freedom mural.