“Step Up and Serve”: Veterans Inspire ALES Fifth Graders

Fifth graders at Abraham Lincoln Elementary School spent part of their week learning lessons that can’t be found in a textbook. A panel of local veterans visited the school to talk with students about military service, sacrifice, and the responsibilities that come with being a citizen.

The event, coordinated by fifth grade teacher Matt Murray and April Sholty, was designed to connect students with adults who exemplify the district’s learner profile—leaders who show integrity, empathy, resilience, communication, and collaboration. Murray said there was no better group to model those traits than the men and women who have served in the United States military.

“In order to give our students the opportunity to interact with adults that embody all five areas of our learner profile, Mrs. Sholty and I felt like meeting members of the United States military would do just that,” Murray said. “Their main takeaways from the discussion included a healthy respect for members of the armed forces as well as more knowledge about life in the military should they choose that as a career path.”

Panelist, former Corporal Mark Koenig, A Co. 1-187 Infantry, 101st Airborne Division, reminded students that military service is about much more than uniforms or stories from deployment. It’s about the kind of character that follows someone long after their service ends.

“When we as veterans talk to fifth graders about our time in the military, it’s not about showing off medals or stories from the field,” Koenig said. “It’s about helping them see how things like discipline, teamwork, and staying strong through hard times can shape their whole life. The stuff we learned serving doesn’t fade — it’s what helps us become better people, coworkers, and parents.”

Students asked thoughtful questions about why people serve, what daily life is like in the military, and how service members stay committed even when things get difficult. Veterans shared stories of teamwork, responsibility, and the importance of looking out for others—messages that aligned closely with lessons teachers have been reinforcing in the classroom.

Murray said that while the panel provided a window into military life, its purpose was broader. It was about helping students understand their role in the world around them.

“These conversations matter because they help our students see that service—whether in the military or in their own community—requires courage, compassion, and a willingness to step up,” he said.

For ALES students, the panel was more than a history lesson. It was an invitation to think about what kind of citizens they want to become and how service, in all its forms, strengthens the community they call home.