Rho Kappa Held Breakfast to Honor Veterans for Veterans Day

Arrowhead High School social studies National Honors Society, Rho Kappa, hosted a Veterans Day breakfast in honor of the men and women who have fought, or are still fighting, in the United States Military. The Breakfast was held in the Arrowhead South Campus lunch room, first through third period, on Friday November 9th.

Rho Kappa is a national club with chapters throughout  the country. The members are highly ranked students who meet a certain range of qualifications in order to be a part of the club.

Brooke O’Connor, a Rho Kappa member at Arrowhead Union High School at Arrowhead Union High School, said, “In order to be in this honors society club, you need to apply and make sure you are reaching all of the guidelines that qualify you.”

The requirements of this Honors Society is to have an overall GPA of a 3.0, above a 3.5 average GPA in social studies, and the student must have six credits of social studies. If the student qualifies, the student must proceed to fill out the application form, found on the Arrowhead High School website. The students will be notified in the summer if they got accepted or not.

Rho Kappa has a president, vice president, and secretary officer positions. Rho Kappa has incorporated it to create leadership positions for students to take action in the events, and to help set up meetings for the club.

O’Connor said, “I like how we have leadership positions so students can take action, and are able to learn leadership skills.” The members of Rho Kappa have enjoyed the leadership opportunities that have been offered within this club.

Ellie Artone, a Rho Kappa Arrowhead High School member, said, “ We organized a Veterans Day breakfast around our area who is related to someone at Arrowhead to appreciate them and their service.”

Artone says, “The Veterans Day breakfast is the biggest event Rho Kappa holds.  We all spend a lot of time planning this and exciting to see all the work make these veterans, who deserve the world, happy.”

According to Artone, other activities hosted by the club are related to “helping students be active citizens and encouraging people to fulfill their civic duties in today’s world.”

“Eggs, sausage, bacon, and pancakes galore” was served at the breakfast according to Rho Kappa posters and advertisements around both Arrowhead campuses.

According to the Arrowhead Rho Kappa website, “This event [was] open to all veterans.  Arrowhead students [were] encouraged to attend with the veterans they invite[d].”

Parking for veterans was “available in the South Campus student parking lot [and] guests enter[ed] through Door D which is on the east side of the building nearest the student parking lot.”

The event ran from 8 am through 9:30am with “two speeches given, one by teacher who thanked the veterans of past, and one by a student who thanked the present warriors, along with a performance by the south campus choir and band,” says Anthony Sikorski, a member of the wind ensemble.

Sikorski says the band performed “two pieces, the first of which [was] America the Beautiful and the second [was] a medley of all five of the songs from each branch of the military.”

He said, “To honor each branch of the military, veterans stood during the song of their branch.”

Ron Reichle, Arrowhead social studies teacher, was asked by Rho Kappa to give a speech at the breakfast. He said that he was “very nervous to speak in from of such an impressive audience.”

He said it was especially important for him as a social studies teacher and lover of history because he got to “thank [veterans] for all that they do and the roles they played in shaping history.”

The other speech given was by an Arrowhead student whose grandfather fought in World War II.

According to Sikorski, “She gave a speech about his unique experience in the war and made a special point to thank all the current members of the United States Military.”

After the breakfast, veterans were interviewed and asked to share their stories.

Sikorski says, “I think the coolest part of this event is the interviews conducted with the veterans because it is more than just a textbook story. The interviews are designed to give a voice to these veterans and to celebrate and reserve the sacrifices they made.”

According to Sikorski, “Some of the veterans who attended the breakfast are the last living soldiers of certain wars which is why it is crucial to document and share their stories so they can live on and continued to be appreciated.”