Showing off their pride

Marisa O’Neil

Newport Elementary started off Veterans Day celebrations with the

bang of cannon fire from a tall ship bobbing in the waters just

beyond the school’s Proud to Be an American Day assembly on Monday.

Students wearing military caps, parents and hundreds of others

gathered on the school’s beachfront playground to pay tribute to

America and its military on a picture-perfect, sunny Southern

California day. Members of the U.S. Marine Corps, local police and

fire departments and a retired lieutenant general spoke to the

students about freedom, flag etiquette and love of country at the

third annual event.

“It’s our state and our country, and we have to be proud of it,”

said 5-year-old Peter Harano, who was wearing a black Army beret.

The patriotic celebration first started at Newport Elementary in

2001 in the midst of renewed nationalism after the Sept. 11 terrorist

attacks. In the aftermath, students started asking questions that

parent Kelly Swift, organizer of the event, thought needed to be

answered.

“They wanted to know why everyone was flying the flag, why we had

a moment of silence,” Swift said. “I wanted to do something each year

that answered those questions and celebrated being an American.”

The event has grown in its three years year into what is now a

one-and-a-half hour tribute filled with songs, patriotic speeches and

a fly-over by Newport Beach’s police helicopter Eagle. This year,

parents, students and passersby on the bike path nearly filled the

playground.

“It gets better every year,” said teacher-librarian Stephanie

Taylor, who was wearing a full Uncle Sam costume. “The children are

very enthusiastic. It brings everybody together as a community.”

With the gentle crashing waves and the 1812 replica Lynx privateer

sailing along the coast as a backdrop, members of the 228th U.S.

Marine Corps wearing their dress uniforms stood stick-straight in the

midday sun for the whole event, which included a round of “Happy

Birthday” to celebrate the Corps’ formation on Nov. 10, 1775.

Marine and former Newport Heights Elementary student Staff Sgt.

Charles “Cass” Spence -- whose wife attended Newport Elementary --

told students a little about his experience in Iraq. Freedom of

choice, he said, is an important part of being an American, like

choosing, he joked, if you like Scooby-Doo or Scrappy-Doo better.

Students also serenaded the crowd with a medley of military songs.

Kindergartners in berets stood to sing “The Caissons Go Rolling

Along.” Second-graders in Navy beanies sang “Anchors Aweigh.” Others

sang songs of the Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard.

“We practiced in our classroom every morning for a long time,”

said 7-year-old Christina O’Beck, who was wearing a sailor’s hat.

* MARISA O’NEIL covers education and may be reached at (949)

574-4268 or by e-mail at marisa.oneil@latimes.com.