Red, White & Blue

The New Diana Independent School District honored veterans from all branches of the military with the posting of the colors, roll call, patriotic songs and students expressing their appreciation to our nation’s veterans.

When Communities in Schools Youth Service Coordinator for New Diana ISD Nancy Essary happened to pick up a flyer entitled “The History of Veterans Day” in the Shreveport, Louisiana Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, she thought it would be a wonderful learning tool for students. She contacted the Cracker Barrel Home Office and within in few days she had 1500 of the flyers to share with all of the students in the school district along with all of the veterans and community members who attended the Veterans Day program.  

The flyer explains how celebrating Veterans Day began and why it is such an important date in United States history. Many Cracker Barrel Old Country Store guests and employees are veterans and over the years we have supported organizations that provide for the needs of our service men and women and veterans.  Cracker Barrel General Manager John Paul Jones from Alexandria, La., a Marine Corps veteran, was a guest speaker at the New Diana ISD Veterans Day program and told the audience why the flyer was created.

"If you have ever been in one of our stores and seen the artifacts and memorabilia hanging on the walls and from the ceiling, you can see that preserving the past is important to us," said Jones. "Those décor items are all authentic, not reproductions - many people don’t realize that. By restoring them, we like to think we are preserving our connection to the past, and sharing it with future generations.  So, this year when the folks at our Home Office in Tennessee got to working on Veterans Day, and researching its history, they decided that printing the information on a flyer might be a good way to help everyone remember why Veterans Day is so important to our country. It’s a small way that we can thank veterans for their service and show our appreciation for all who have served our nation."

New Diana ISD Students

Veteran Roll Call John Paul Jones in center

New Diana ISD Superintendent Carl Key (l.) and John Paul Jones celebrate with active duty and retired veterans