Photos: Dillsboro students visit cemetery to honor veterans and clean graves

(DILLSBORO, Ind.) – Some local students left the classroom to make a patriotic impact in their community on Thursday. 

Dillsboro Elementary fourth and fifth graders held their annual project where they clean the graves of veterans at Oakdale Cemetery. 

It is organized every year by Lana Melton who is a member of the Dillsboro American Legion Post 292 Auxiliary as well as the Dillsboro Elementary PTO. 

The event began with students reciting the Pledge of Allegiance which was followed by Dillsboro American Legion members explaining how funerals for veterans are conducted. There was also a 21-gun salute as well as TAPS. 

Groups of students then dispersed throughout the cemetery with buckets of soap water, as well as 600 American flags. They cleaned the graves and also replaced worn flags with new ones. 

Dillsboro Elementary Principal Kyle Miller said this annual trip is a way to connect the students with the community’s heritage. 

“It’s hard for young students to recognize the true sacrifices of everything that these veterans have given. I think this is a great start in their understanding as it allows the kids to get out of the classroom and be part of something bigger,” Miller said. 

While students were cleaning graves, they were asked to thank each veteran for their service. 

Melton began this annual Veterans Day initiative in 2019 and encourages other communities to work with their schools to organize something similar. 

“It’s a great way to bridge the generations and being in a small community the kids may recognize some of the last names. We’re getting further away from when these veterans served, so we need to keep it in the forefront of these kids' minds that somebody gave their life for them,” Melton said.

Here are some more photos from the event: