Thomas Jefferson High School PETE MURPHY , PRINCIPAL
Thomas Jefferson HS Honors and Celebrates Veterans
Thomas Jefferson High School students and staff honored and celebrated local veterans , including TJ graduates who ’ ve died in the line of duty , during an uplifting Veterans Day recognition program in the TJHS Theater .
Flanked by a huge American flag , the TJ band , orchestra and choir performed several patriotic songs , including a rousing Armed Forces - Pride of America compilation to end the program . Senior vocalist Joey Wodorek also performed .
The audience of veterans , TJHS juniors and seniors and staff heard from U . S . Air Force Major Kim Finnerty and U . S . Marine Corps Major Michael Thatcher . Finnerty is the Vice President of Nursing Workforce Planning with Allegheny Health Network and a member of the West Jefferson Hills School Board .
“ We are here to honor our heroes to remember their achievements , their courage , dedication and to say thank you for all their sacrifices ,” Finnerty said . “ These service members have come from all walks of life . But they ’ ve shared several qualities : they ’ ve all possessed courage , pride , determination , selflessness , dedication to duty , as well as integrity . All of these qualities are needed to serve a cause larger than one ’ s self .”
A TJ graduate , Thatcher attended the U . S . Naval Academy before becoming an officer with the Marine Corps and serving in Afghanistan . He is the Magisterial Judge for Pleasant Hills Borough .
“ What this nation stands for is special and is worth defending ,” Thatcher said , noting that Nov . 10 was the official birthday of the Marines Corps . “ Every American has the freedom to pursue their own vision of their American dream . We ’ re free to speak and worship how we choose without fear of persecution . Please don ’ t take for granted the freedom of opportunity that you have here in this community and in this country .
“ Americans are Americans regardless of what they look like and where they come from ,” Thatcher added . “ In the service , nobody cares where you came from , how much money you have , what you look like . All they care about is that you ’ re doing your part to get the job done .”
Louise Biddle , a retired teacher from WJHSD and community leader , gave the Invocation . Thomas Jefferson HS principal Pete Murphy was the emcee and primary organizer of the program .
Two TJ students , Aiden Ohler and Ben Rubinoff , presented a slideshow and spoke about the 10 TJ graduates who ’ ve died in service to our nation in Vietnam , Lebanon and Iraq . They are : Robert Guy Brown , Charles Thomas Lee , Thomas Burkhardt , James Dewar , Frederick P . Gillen , Thomas V . Haas , Robert Doering , David C . Bruggeman , Richard A . Morrow and Steven W . Freund .
A memorial plaque with the names of the 10 deceased service members is located in front of TJHS .
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