School district's Veterans Day Program offered vitrually

Area veterans won’t be able to attend schools this year for Veteran’s Day as usual, but Oregon School District music teacher Miles Beske is working to make it feel like any other year for them.

Oregon Elementary School and David L. Rahn Middle School will be broadcasting a live stream performance on YouTube on Nov. 11.

“Just to watch a veteran tear up at the music and poems, it just won’t be the same,” Beske said. “I wanted to still offer them something . We’ve done this for 30 years. Usually there’s someone local that gives a speech and each one talks about their experience. It’s phenomenal for kids.”

From 9:45 a.m. until 10:10 a.m. on Wednesday, the bands will perform the star spangled banner, a Pearl Harbor hymn and the different armed services marches. Taps will also be played at the end of the show. Students will speak about each song performed.

Beske is unsure how many students he will have for the performance due to COVID-19. This week, he was missing nine kids from his brass section. He usually has 60-65 students. Students will have an entire day with Veteran’s Day themes that will end with the live stream performance.

The Veteran’s Day performance can be found at https://fb.me/e/3fHiusZ4g

Beske said his music students have missed out on quite a few performances so far this fall due to COVID-19 cancellations.

“Missing AOP was huge,” Beske said. “We did our own version of that at the stadium. There weren’t high school halftimes this fall. The Christmas concert can’t happen because it’s indoors. It may be virtual or live streamed.”