By Amy Wenger Correspondent
WAKARUSA — Wednesday, Nov. 11, the students of Wakarusa Elementary School learned about the courage and valor of the heroes within our midst. It was a message more resounding than any textbook could ever convey.
The events of tribute were inspired by those who set aside the desires of their own hearts for the cause of a greater good. It was a time to offer reverence and respect to the men and women of our nation who have served and fought, who have lived and died, for the freedoms we cherish.

It was a lesson not soon to be forgotten ... that which is the true meaning of Veterans Day.
Children and staff members alike participated in the commemoration, which took place at various intervals throughout the day. Teachers took turns escorting their classes to the SSG Travis Kent Hunsberger Garden War Memorial, where the students listened to narrations describing the various branches of America's armed services. The youngsters also watched a video which offered reminders to everyone that the highest form of praise one can offer a soldier is a simple “thank you.”
The monument features a centerpiece of a statue which represents a salute to fallen soldiers, symbolized by the emblems of combat boots and a rifle, with a soldier's helmet resting atop the firearm. The statue is surrounded by a crescent shaped pathway of bricks, with approximately 160 of the bricks bearing the names of veterans and civilian contractors who were called to duty in such conflicts as the Vietnam War, World War II, Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom, among others. All of the individuals whose names are emblazoned in the memorial had connections to the Wakarusa community. Much of the funds and the materials used to erect the memorial were garnered through the generosity of local donations.
Eileen Bormann, guidance counselor of Wakarusa Elementary School, shared in the belief of educating children about the patriotism of this holiday.
“We want to help our students realize that soldiers begin with regular people, people just like us,” she said. “We want to give them the opportunity to honor and to thank those who have served this country for us.” 
The young man for whom the town’s memorial park is named was a student of Wakarusa Elementary School 15 years ago. Hunsberger died June 27, 2008 in Afghanistan after stumbling upon an explosive device. Just one year later, the memorial, christened in his memory was unveiled. The remembrance of Travis and his legacy provided one of the morning’s most poignant highlights. Steve Hunsberger, Travis’s father, presented a Power Point photo collage of Travis during his elementary school days.  He also sang a moving rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner.”
“We thought it would be appropriate for the students to know and remember Travis, who ultimately sacrificed his life,” Bormann notes.  “He is representative of all those men and women who have done something significant in our nation’s history. That’s really what Veterans Day is all about.”