Photo by Diane Chodan Community members attending “Hallway of Heroes” meet the children and autograph papers for them. Those attending included personnel from the Dunkirk Police Department, the Dunkirk Fire Department, Brooks Hospital, Ellman’s Garage, armed service veterans, members of the Junior ROTC at Dunkirk High School and their instructor, and home caretaker from Willcare.

The students of School 3 in Dunkirk recently honored local community members who dedicate their lives to serving the community. Students, some with signs, lined the halls of the school clapping and thanking the local veterans, vehicle rescue personnel, nurses, firefighters and police officers who paraded by. The heroes then split up and visited different classrooms where students interviewed them to learn more about their careers and what they do to protect, improve, and serve the community.

In one fifth grade classroom, veteran Matt Gee showed the students an example of an MRE (meal ready to eat) used by military personnel when on duty where no dining facilities are available. Gee explained, “A chemical reaction, rather than heat, will make the meal hot in about 15 minutes.”

He also showed them dry items such as crackers and cookies that supplement the meal.

Brenda Quinones who works for WILLCARE of Jamestown, explained to Corrine Rukavina’s class, “I work with patients in their home. I like that because I can give the patient more personal attention.”

In another classroom, Lieutenant Colonel (retired) Russell Clark answered questions about his 36-year career in the military. Students gasped when he told them he sometimes carried as much as 150 pounds of equipment. He stressed that training and safety are the priorities when carrying weapons.

In answer to a student’s question about what happens when the military sleep he said, “When one person sleeps, others are awake. That keeps everyone safe.”

Clark currently instructs in the Junior ROTC class at Dunkirk High School. He brought several of his uniformed students who handed out “go army” bracelets and pens.

Jordan and Brian, two registered nurses from Brooks Hospital, fielded questions in Michael Thompson’s fifth grade. Students asked about whether nurses can get sick. Brian said this sometimes does happen.

Jordan explained how nurses limit bouts of illness. “Depending on the type of nursing, we wear specialized gear, like sometimes a face mask,” she said.

She also told students there are many types of nurses. She works as a surgical nurse.

Alyssa Perry’s kindergarten students received a special treat. After talking to firefighter Jake Stern, police officers J. Ortolano and Amy Noble, and tow truck operator Ron “Peppy” McQuiggan, the children put on coats and hats and went to see the actual vehicles used in their guests’ work. Students were happy to walk out of the building with their special friends and look at a fire engine, a police car, and a tow-truck. Police officer Noble, at the request of the students, put on the police lights and briefly sounded the siren.

McQuiggan, a tow truck driver for Ellman’s Garage in Dunkirk, brought his truck and posed with the students. His granddaughter, Lissette Aponte, is a member of the class.

Students in Valarie Csont’s kindergarten class were happy to see a Ladder truck. Firefighter Jake Stern and Michael Schwertfeger showed them some of the equipment stored on the truck. Schwertfeger said, “Someone asked if I had an ax; here it is.”

Students stayed a respectful distance away, but were interested in everything contained on the truck, especially the lights and the siren.

The visits to the school were the culmination of hard work by staff and students at School 3. To kick off the “Hallway of Heroes” project, the students wrote more than 200 letters to community heroes. The letters asked about how people chose their careers, what their jobs entail, and the challenges they face each day. Many community members responded to the letters, providing answers to the questions posed by students. The heroes were invited to School 3 to be honored for their dedication and service to the community. Letters to the students were posted on the walls in hall.

The inspiration for the project was a website about Patriot Day. The project was tailored by the staff to honor local members of the community and spotlight career options for the students.

Fifth grade teacher Michael Thompson said, “I am really excited about how this whole thing went. I think it is important for kids to see the positive impact that careers have on a community.”

The staff and students at School 3 thank all the local heroes who took the time to respond to letters, even if they were not able to visit the School.