In the city of Tacoma, Washington, schools recognize that the annual observance of Veterans Day on November 11th offers more than a day off—it provides a chance for young people to engage directly with service, sacrifice, and citizenship. Educators across the district work intentionally to integrate meaningful programs into the lead-up and the day itself, helping students connect with the idea of veterans’ service in ways that feel genuine rather than perfunctory.

These efforts bring together veteran guests, student-led classroom work, local organizations, and community outreach. Through assemblies, letters, art, history projects, and partnerships with military-affiliated groups, Tacoma schools create experiences that help students reflect on what it means to serve. In doing so, these programs benefit veterans and students: veterans hear their stories, and students gain insights into service and community responsibility.

This article explores how schools in Tacoma honor veterans in four key domains: student assemblies, classroom projects, community partnerships, and teaching resources. It also highlights how the legal and educational frameworks support these efforts and why they matter to both educators and students.

Student Assemblies

In many Tacoma schools, assemblies held in the week leading up to November 11 provide a forum for local veterans to address students directly. These gatherings often feature one or more veterans sharing first-hand accounts of military service, discussing what motivated them to serve, and answering students’ questions about life in uniform. For students, such assemblies make history feel personal—they move beyond abstract lessons to a veteran’s voice in the room.

These sessions also invite reflection on civic values: commitment, responsibility, respect, and continuity of service. In Tacoma’s public schools, for example, the district policy notes that during the school week, schools must conduct educational activities in observance of Veterans Day. The principal or head teacher is responsible for organizing such programs, and having a veteran stand before a school assembly underscores the significance of the day through lived experience and helps students understand that service continues beyond the classroom.

Rather than merely marking the holiday, these assemblies can serve as conversation starters. Schools may follow the presentation with guided class discussions, enabling students to ask follow-up questions and explore the themes introduced by the guest speaker. In this way, assemblies serve both as a commemoration and as a springboard for student inquiry.

Classroom Projects

Beyond assemblies, many classrooms in Tacoma engage students in projects designed to honor veterans and to deepen understanding of service. For younger students, this might mean writing thank-you letters or creating visual art (such as posters or banners) that express respect and gratitude. Older students may undertake history investigations, such as tracing the service record of a veteran relative or exploring the role of the armed forces in local history.

Such projects provide two benefits. First, they give veterans tangible acknowledgement—letters and artwork serve as tokens of appreciation from the student body. Second, they help students internalise the significance of service by investing time and thought into creating something for veterans. Classroom activities like these also allow teachers to integrate Veterans Day themes into the curriculum, linking with social studies, language arts, or art classes in meaningful ways.

In Tacoma, the state requirement for school observance of Veterans Day includes “educational activities suitable to the observance” totaling at least 60 minutes throughout the week preceding November 11. Teachers might schedule a dedicated block where students craft projects, reflect on veterans’ service, or present their work to the school community. The classroom component thus becomes more than a filler—it becomes a place for student voice and creativity tied to civic purpose.

Community Partnerships

Schools in Tacoma often partner with local veterans’ organizations and military-affiliated groups, reinforcing community ties and enhancing student experiences. For example, local posts of Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) engage in community outreach in Tacoma, providing opportunities for schools to collaborate. These partnerships enable veterans to visit schools, participate in events, or serve as judges for student-led projects that honor veteran service.

Such collaborations also bring resources and credibility to school programs. A veteran group might supply flags, host a guest-speaker series, or work with schools on service-learning efforts tied to Veterans Day. For students, seeing their school connected to a veterans’ organization reinforces that service and civic engagement are active and local, not merely abstract. For veterans, involvement in schools underscores their contributions and connects them to younger generations.

Schools may also join larger city-wide or regional Veterans Day commemorations that include students and veterans together. The Tacoma Historical Society sponsors an annual Veterans Day ceremony in Tacoma. Encouraging students to participate in such community events deepens their understanding, creates a real-world context for what they learn in class, and strengthens civic ties.

Teaching Resources for Veterans Day

Educators in Tacoma have access to a variety of teaching resources to help them approach Veterans Day in an age-appropriate and meaningful way. The Association of Washington Student Leaders offers a toolkit of lesson ideas, assembly scripts, and classroom activities tailored to elementary, middle, and high school levels. These resources help teachers plan engaging programming that honors veterans while also providing students with learning opportunities.

At the elementary level, resources emphasise gratitude, service, and community in ways younger students can grasp—such as reading age-appropriate stories, creating thank-you cards, or listening to a veteran speak. In middle and high school, lesson plans may explore deeper themes: the history of U.S. military service, the meaning of civic duty, the transition from service to civilian life, and local veteran stories.

Teachers might also use the state observance requirement as a prompt for structured activities. When used thoughtfully, such resources ensure that Veterans Day in schools is not simply commemorative but also educational—encouraging students to think critically about service and its role in a democratic society.

Sustaining Veterans Day Programs Beyond the Holiday

Honoring veterans in schools should not be limited to a single day of programming. In Tacoma, educators and community partners aim to sustain the connection between students and veterans throughout the year. For instance, some schools maintain service-learning projects tied to veteran support; others invite veterans into classrooms as mentors or guest lecturers beyond November 11. By doing so, the relationship between the youth and veteran community becomes ongoing rather than confined to a commemorative occasion.

Tracking these efforts and reflecting on their impact is also important. Schools may survey students about what they learned, or invite veterans to share feedback on how they felt about receiving student letters or visiting the classroom. This kind of reflection helps schools refine their programs, build stronger partnerships, and deepen the educational value of Veterans Day observance.

Finally, planning ahead is beneficial. Schools may schedule veteran-speaker assemblies, project timelines, partnerships, and follow-up reflection sessions well in advance of November 11. Principals and lead teachers are responsible for ensuring that educational programming takes place during the school week preceding the holiday. The state requirement makes clear that planning must begin in advance.

In Tacoma, Washington, schools can turn Veterans Day into a meaningful moment of connection, education, and gratitude. By bringing veterans into student assemblies, inviting students to create honor-driven projects, building strong community partnerships, and leveraging teaching resources, educators help students develop a deeper appreciation for what service means. These efforts go beyond the holiday itself—they help lay the foundation for engaged citizenship, empathy, and respect for those who have served.

Through thoughtful programming, students in Tacoma learn that honoring veterans is not simply about remembering one day; it is about actively acknowledging contributions, engaging across generations, and building community ties. Veterans, in turn, receive affirmation that their service continues to matter—both to young people and to the institutions they helped preserve. When schools approach November 11 with intention and care, the result is education that is not only informative but transformational.

As each school year approaches the week of November 11, Tacoma schools are well-positioned to host rich, student-driven, veteran-connected programming that resonates beyond the classroom. In doing so, they affirm that honoring veterans and educating young minds are deeply compatible goals—and that the legacy of service is something students can engage with meaningfully, personally, and with purpose.

Sources: awsleaders.org, tacomahistory.org, app.leg.wa.gov, tacomaschools.org
Header Image Source: pexels.com