Veterans honor military-bound high school students
May 18—GENEVA — The Ashtabula County Veterans Service Commission hosted its third annual Rite of Passage Ceremony at Geneva High School on Thursday to honor students going into the military.
"This is a celebration of students that have elected to go into the military," said Veterans Service Commission President Mark Baker. "We'd like to recognize their decision and give them some encouragement."
Commission Director Ben Schwartfigure said the organization began doing this for the students so that they'll know about the Veterans Service Commission and what it can do for them once they are done with their mission.
"We help them apply for benefits through the VA, service-connected disabilities, pension, education benefits, home-loan guarantees," Schwartfigure said. "They're all circumstantial to the individual. We have to get them to come in and we go from there.
"The kids, their families, and the veteran community are always excited about this event. This gives them [students] a community of support behind a decision that this could be a career. We want to make sure that they know their community supports them. We want them to have a real send off, no different then if they were going into college. Just really honoring their commitment."
Baker said that this event has been well received by the veterans of the county because they don't get much of a chance to meet with the students.
Air Force Veteran Richard Phinney, of Geneva, was a guest speaker.
"Sixty years ago I would have been sitting beside you all," Phinney said. "Sixty years ago, I was 17 years old, I was a senior at Geneva High School, and after graduation I was going into the United States Air Force. I'm very proud of you for what you're doing."
The students who will be heading to the military are Lakeside's Quinn Thomas, Martin Rea and Shawn Jewett, Edgewood's Sierra Reynolds, Andrew Shumate and Patrick Fagan, Geneva's student Liam Marcrom, Pymatuning Valley's Zachary Morgret, Conneaut's Ariona Oster and Jefferson's Sara Stone.
"Both of my parents were in the army," said Air Force-bound Stone. "When I was thinking about going to college and trying to figure out what I wanted to do and what would make sense for me. .... I couldn't figure it out. Once I started to think about going into the Air Force, it all clicked and made sense for me. I'm looking to getting out of here to get some new experiences and meet new people."
"I wanted to enlist, because I think it will help me build a better future for myself and will teach me self discipline," said Air Force-bound Jewett. "I want to become a military police officer. Once I do my four years, I want to come out and be a state highway patrol trooper. I want to help keep the community safe and keep drugs off the street."
