A Memorial Day tribute to fallen U.S. soldiers remains on exhibit in Centreville.
More than 200 American flags – meticulously placed two yards from one another – were displayed beginning Thursday on the north lawn outside Centreville Public Schools’ junior high wing.
The patriotic project was spearheaded by junior high art teacher Kristin Stamp and high school social studies instructor Aaron Hartong. Dozens of their students jumped in over the course of the two-day setup to complete an impressive sea of red, white and blue.
Aside from the visual appeal of the precisely-placed flags, high school students had the option of completing a card that was then laminated for weatherproofing and attached to a flag.
Stamp said students were instructed to identify a relative or acquaintance who served and provide a brief amount of information.
Stamp said she was surprised more than 200 students approached her and Hartong, requesting a card to state a veteran’s name, branch of service and whether they served in war time.
As part of an art project tied in to the display, Stamp had students read John McRae’s poem “In Flanders Field,” a war poem told from the perspective of a deceased soldier.