Students in Sandy Carey’s fifth grade class at Driver Middle School paid respect to our nation’s veterans last week simply by getting know one.
Each student interviewed a United States Military Veteran and then completed a written report on their experience. Each student presented a visual display to the class and shared their insights on the veteran they spoke with, taking questions from their classmates as well.
A highlight of the Veterans Day project was a classroom visit from U. S. Navy Captain Thomas Kanaley, who was the subject of Megan O’Brien’s report. Kanaley is also O’Brien’s uncle.
Kanaley described his military experience in the U.S. Navy Supply Corps and how he was responsible for more than 3,000 people as he handled the logistics operation for the Desert Storm campaign. Kanaley, dressed in full uniform, explained that his interest in the Navy was fueled as a student at Villanova University in the early 1960s. He served as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy from 1963 through 1970. He then re-enlisted in 1981 and began his involvement with the Supply Corps.
Kanaley gave each student in the class an American flag and presented a variety of his medals and awards.
When asked what he liked most about military service, Kanaley explained: “I would not give back one day of my service in the Navy. I traveled the world, I learned about a variety of cultures, and I made many friends.”
Listed are the students in Sandy Carey’s class and the veteran they interviewed:
Pavel Bandura – Vitaly Bandura, Army
Bradley Bednarski – Tom R. Bednarski, Army
Benjamin Beratta – Maj. Richard John LaMarre, Army
Bryce Bowen – Charles Jankowski, Army
Mary Colella & Anna Perry – Peter C. Colella, Navy
Taylor Crysler & Sami DiMarco – Jeffrey Allen Berwald, Coast Guard & Air Force
Kyle Denka – Thomas Anthony Fantauzzi, Army
Benjamin Fedorenko – Sergey Fedorenko, Army
Cameron Finnie – William A. Finnie, Air Force
Kayla Fogg – Tom Kay, Navy
Kaitlyn Foster – Santo Richard Palmano, Army
Samuel Grattan – Clifford Sherman Sparling, Air Force
Kaleigh Kemp – Terri Cheshire, Army
Mikenzie Lader – Corporal Frank Lee Graves, Army
Kate Morris – Dennis Muff, Marines
Meghan O’Brien – Capt. Tom Kanaley, Navy
John O’Hara – Edward A. O’Hara, Jr., Navy
Brendan Shanahan – Andrew Boyan, Dept. of Defense
Paige Tomeny – Charles V. Tomeny, Jr., Navy
Zachary Weiler – Kenneth Earl Lott, Sr., Marines
