At a ceremony held on Nov. 13, the Island Trees School District reaffirmed the name "Memorial" in the Island Trees Middle School name. (See photo below.)

The eighth grade band, directed by Michael Guido, performed Olympic Spirit and The Star Spangled Banner and the American Legion and VFW presented colors.

"We're here today to reaffirm that this school was built as a memorial to our veterans," Superintendent James Parla said, addressing a crowd of students, veterans, elected officials and community members. "We want the children to understand that it's not just a name."

The Island Trees Board of Education President Peter Ray said the board voted to reaffirm the name of the school because it was the right thing to do.

"Everything we have today is because of the veterans," he added.

Legislator Dennis Dunne, Sr., president of the Levittown/Island Trees Veterans Council and a former Marine, said the reaffirmation is "a long-time coming."

"This is to make sure we don't forget the name is 'Memorial,'" he added. "It is very fitting for this town."

Commander of American Legion Post 1711 Andy Booth noted and commended the courage of the school board to make this change.

"To me, it's personal," the veteran said. "To you children, it's a lesson to be learned. Veterans sacrificed everything to give you your freedom. They're not asking for thousands of dollars - just a simple thank you."

Bill Marr, a retired Marine and current dean of students at Island Trees Memorial Middle School, helped organize the program. He said he wanted to relay to students "what veterans do is give you themselves."

Eighth-grader Courtney McCall, the student council president, thanked veterans by reading an excerpt from the poem Thank a Veteran for Our Freedom.

"It was a veteran, not a reporter, who guaranteed our freedom of the press. It was a veteran, not a poet, who guaranteed our freedom of speech. It was a veteran, not a politician, who guaranteed our right to vote," she read.

Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray praised McCall for her speech and reminded those present "when you see a veteran, thank them." Murray, whose father was a World War II veteran and original Levittowner said her family "fit the profile for which this community was built."

"They put their lives on the line so we can enjoy our Levittown and Island Trees communities," she added.

Levittowner and Hempstead Town Councilman Gary Hudes stressed to students "everything you do today has to do with the fact that a veteran made this country free."