With Veterans Day on November 11, we take the day off from school to honor those people who served in the United States Armed Forces. Some of our own students and staff from Triton spend their holiday with certain traditions and others support the holiday but treat it like every other day.

Veterans Day annually falls on November 11th because it is the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice, which ended the World War I hostilities between the Allied nations and Germany in 1918. Veterans are thanked for their services to the United States each year on this day. It is celebrated by parades and church services and in many places the American flag is hung at half mast. Some schools are closed on Veterans Day such as Triton, while others do not close, but choose to celebrate the occasion with special assemblies or other activities. 

For senior Gianna Maiuri, Veterans Day is a time for her to reunite with her aunt and hang out with her and the rest of the Maiuri family.

“My Aunt Jonna was in the navy in her twenties so every year we celebrate the holiday at her house in Revere.”

While some people go to a specific service on Veterans Day if their family member was a part of the armed forces, Maiuri commemorates her aunt’s army duties by having a family sit-down dinner.

“We all sit at the dinner table and eat a yummy meal and just catch up with one another because we don’t see each other often”, she said. Maiuri feels lucky that her aunt Jonna is still alive and healthy and gets to spend every November 11th by her side.

Similarly to Maiuri, Veterans Day is a holiday that senior Tina Gordon also celebrates every year with the same ritual.  

Gordon says, “My grandpa served in the marines for almost 30 years so for as long as I can remember we visited his grave every November 11th and bring flowers and hang up flags around his grave.”

Gordon’s grandfather passed away nine years ago, but her mom and sisters still go to his grave at Highland Cemetery in Newburyport on Veterans Day to remember him and his commitment to the navy.

As for Psychology teacher, Janet Nicolazzo, she does not do anything significant for Veterans Day. “I don’t celebrate Veterans Day. There is nobody in family that has been in the military, so I don’t usually do anything.”

Although Ms. Nic doesn’t do anything in particular for the holiday, she still thinks it’s an important date in history for the army soldiers that fought for our country. “I like watching the parades because you can see American history coming down the street with all the different survivors of the various wars and conflicts, ” she explains.

Veterans Day will take place next Monday, and many people will be spending their day by giving their respect and appreciation to veterans who served in the United States military.