Pequea Valley townlively.com
DECEMBER 11, 2024
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LX • NO 51
Linville students encouraged to SHINE BY ANN MEAD ASH
Paradise Elementary music teacher Alicia Trescavage sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the school’s tribute to veterans.
A tribute to veterans BY ANN MEAD ASH
ceremony, which will occur prior to laying wreaths in area cemeteries, will be held on Saturday, Dec. 14, at Pequea Valley Intermediate School,166 S. New Holland Road, Kinzers, at noon. “I know you have been learning about veterans and why they are so important,” Diem told the students. “WAA honors veterans who are living and those who have passed away.” Diem then asked members of each branch of the military to stand. Four Army veterans, two Marines, three Navy veterans, one Air Force veteran, and one Coast Guard veteran were present. As each veteran stood, the students erupted with applause. “We also honor those from all branches whose last status was as a prisoner of war or missing in action,” Diem reminded them. “We honor our veterans because each of you live in the land of the free and the home of the brave because of the dedication of veterans,” she told
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the students. “I think we owe them a huge round of applause.” After the students applauded again, Diem asked them to bring their parents, grandparents, and neighbors to join WAA on Dec. 14 to help lay 3,000 wreaths in the Pequea Valley area to honor veterans. When Diem finished speaking, a video called “A Tribute to Our Troops” was played. The video featured photos of members of the armed forces associated with the school set to the music of the Armed Forces Medley. To conclude the event, taps was played by Paradise students Annabelle Herr and Chloe Wolfe. Each veteran who attended received a hand-colored card thanking him or her for serving as well as a small gift. M o r e i n fo r m a t i o n a b o u t Paradise Elementary, located at 20 N. Belmont Road, Paradise, may be found at https://paradise .pequeavalley.org.
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n Nov. 8, Paradise Elementary School held a Veterans Day assembly, honoring area residents who served or are serving in the armed forces. Rick Esche, school principal, opened the ceremony, saying to the students, “I can tell by your enthusiasm that you’re ready for an amazing assembly.” Esche went on to laud the students who had organized the event. “The most amazing part of this assembly is that it was planned by our sixth-grade learners and facilitators,” said Esche, who noted that the organizers were responsible for everything from the decorations to the script. “This was all planned by students just like you, and we will have a lot of fun if you are safe, respectful, and responsible during the presentation.” Esche then turned the microphone over to a number
of sixth-grade students, who passed it among themselves. The students began by asking for a round of applause for the nearly one dozen veterans who had come to the school to celebrate Veterans Day. The colors were presented by members of local Boy and Girl Scout troops who are students at the school. Audience members were asked to stand for the presentation of the colors and to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. The pledge was followed by “ The Star-Spangled Banner” sung by music teacher Alicia Trescavage. Many students joined Trescavage by singing where they stood. Paula Diem, coordinator of the Pequea Valley area chapter of Wreaths Across America (WAA), was introduced by students who noted that she is also referred to as “Aunt Paula.” “I’m excited to share what is happening with WAA,” said Diem, who pointed out that this year’s wreath-laying
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Paradise Elementary School students presented the colors at the Nov. 8 Veterans Day ceremony at the school.
According to representatives of Linville Hill Christian School, SHINE is not an acronym. In fact, the program, which provides love and support to Linville’s students with unique needs in kindergarten through grade 12, is based on Isaiah 60:1, which reads, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.” SHINE was born in 2018, according to Matt Buckwalter, head of school. Prior to that time, Linville had a small program serving half a dozen children with unique needs, but a board member pointed out that a Christian school should be doing more. Buckwalter credits Karen Bailey, a teacher at the school at that time, with creating the foundation of the program around the verse from Isaiah. “That’s so powerful for students who aren’t finding traction the way that most kids do,” explained Buckwalter. Now, SHINE serves 15 students at the Linville Hill Elementary School, where Cindy Mylin is the lead teacher overseeing academics and Danielle Ladley is the lead for behavioral support and guidance. At the Upper School, April Henshaw is the SHINE lead and middle school counselor, serving nearly 30 students. Most SHINE students have Individual Education Plans (IEP), provided by their home school districts. SHINE elementary school students spend much of their day with their peers. “They come to us for reading, spelling, writing, grammar, and math,” explained