Optimist Club of St. Andrews-Irmo sends Irmo High School students on Honor Flight
May 27, 2015
IRMO, SC – Four students from Irmo High School had an opportunity to participate in a recent Honor Flight with World War II veterans, thanks to a generous sponsorship by a local group.
The Optimist Club of St. Andrews-Irmo funded the trip for Irmo High juniors Juan Diaz, Elizabeth Nicoson, Grayson Gossett and George Smith. The students and Air Force Junior ROTC instructor CMSgt. Steven Turner served as guardians for veterans during the flight. Since the first flight for WWII veterans from South Carolina in 2007, the Honor Flight of South Carolina has sent nearly 1,600 veterans to Washington, D.C.
“It was a great experience and something I will remember for the rest of my life,” Nicoson said while sharing the experience with Optimist Club of St. Andrews-Irmo members at a May 22 meeting. “It’s one thing to hear about what our veterans do. It’s another thing to hear first-hand about their sacrifices. So, I was grateful to meet the veterans and take part in such a special moment for them.”
Three of the students on the flight are members of the school’s ROTC, which has raised over $22,000 for the Honor Flight and attended each homecoming to welcome veterans on the flight back to Columbia. For the four students, the trip and preparations helped bridge the gap between history and the “heroes” who were a part of it.
“These veterans are living heroes, getting the recognition they deserve,” said Diaz, who had never flown in an airplane before the trip. “The most memorable thing that happened was right when we got there, all the people that greeted him…We grew close through the experience, and I know that the moment when we arrive in Washington really meant a lot to him and to me.”
Students were selected for the South Carolina Honor Flight based on an application process by the school and chosen based on several criteria including character and ability to communicate their experience with others, school officials said.
“We were looking for students who would be able to communicate what they experience back to their fellow students,” Riegel said. “We also chose juniors because they could come back and share the experience with others…it was a great experience for all the students involved, and we’re very grateful to the Optimist Club for funding the trip.”
Turner added, “I am just extremely proud of our students and the respect they showed for the veterans during the flight. Not only did it serve as a tremendous learning experience for our students, it really showed the veterans and the community the quality of students we have here at Irmo High. Our students are respectful, they are patriotic and they care about the world around them.”
During the one-day trip, a charter flight takes the WWII veterans to Washington, D.C., giving many a first glimpse of the WWII Memorial. Veterans also are given a tour of the area; visit the Korean, Vietnam and Iwo Jima memorials and monuments; are special guest at Arlington Cemetery; and observe the “Changing of the Guard” at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Honor Flight of South Carolina plans to send veterans to Washington, D.C. again in October, and the Optimist Club of St. Andrews-Irmo said it will also make plans to send more students.
“We are thrilled to sponsor these students and hope they will now share their experiences with all their classmates,” said Stuart Stout, a member of the Optimist Club of St. Andrews-Irmo. “What better way to learn about these heroes and WWII than to escort a veteran to Washington.”
