Goodrich – A display near the gymnasium door of Goodrich High School catches the attention of visiting sports fans.
The military alumni board features active-duty military personnel, all graduates from Goodrich High School, all with a story to tell.
‘I stood and watched at the last few games,? said Linda May, GHS athletic secretary, whose son is among the 19 pictured. ‘Young people from other schools were looking at the board. I thought that was a really neat thing,? she said.
The number of active service personnel from such a small school is remarkable, said teacher Bill Duso, who developed the idea with art teacher Kay Goodall after seeing the idea at a Grosse Pointe, Mich. school.
The board was recently moved, rebuilt by parents and members of the robotics team, who needed the former space for its showcase.
Photos of uniformed military alumni, beginning with Lt. Col. Joseph Richardson of the GHS Class of 1974 are chronologically arranged by class year.
Nearly all of the featured alumni are Duso’s former students.
‘What’s funny about this group of kids is that we have college graduates, kids right out of high school, kids that are involved in intelligence,’said Duso, a U.S. Army veteran from the Vietnam era whose students occasionally visit.
‘One talked about his inability to describe what a typical day’s like for a soldier in harm’s way. It’s the old saying, ‘you have to be there? kind of thing.
‘How are you going to describe sitting on top of a Humvee with an M-60 knowing your life is in danger, and it could be someone right next to you, let alone a vehicle that’s pumped up with explosives??
No longer a haven for high school dropouts, today’s U.S. military forces are more educated than ever, says retiring GHS Principal Kenneth Andrzejewski, a former U.S. Marine captain.
‘You need (education) with the sophisticated equipment, technology, it’s just not the same.?
‘The whole dynamic of going into the military has changed because you have to be a high school graduate or have your GED,? he said.
Having served in Vietnam with young troops, Andrzejewski realizes the commitment his graduates have made in choosing military service.
‘My experience in a war zone gives me a fantastic appreciation for the sacrifice our people are making, whether in direct combat or a supporting role.
‘Two young Marines walked in here before the holiday, one just from boot camp and one six months in. I realized pretty soon our kids here could be over there. It’s a scary feeling.?
New GHS principal David St. Aubin is a major in the U.S. Army Reserve.
‘I know how (military alumni) feel. I know they’re very proud to be in the service, proud to serve their country,? said St. Aubin, citing Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s renowned ‘Duty, Honor, Country? speech.
‘I think they live that. Some of them are living that to the ultimate, but they’re all doing their duty.?
‘This is a tribute to a group of kids that we have ignored,’Duso said.
‘I pray that all these young men and women up on that board end their tour of military service healthy and can spend time with their family,? said St. Aubin.
Goodrich High School wants to honor all active duty service personnel. If you know of other GHS alumni on active duty not included on the above list, contact Bill Duso at (810) 591-2251 or by e-mail at bduso@goodrich.k12.mi.us.