HERMANN — With many area military veterans looking on, a 1992 graduate of Hermann High School and former officer in the U.S. Navy Friday morning encouraged a gymnasium full of students to “find your own paths to service” of the country.

The 24th annual Veterans’ Day Breakfast & Appreciation Assembly at HHS was held Friday because the actual holiday was on Saturday. The breakfast and assembly, which gathered all the students in the high school, honored many of the area’s military veterans representing all branches of service.

Dr. James R. Grimes, retired U.S. Navy Lt. Commander and a graduate of HHS, delivered the keynote address in which he lauded the values of growing up in small-town Hermann, calling it a “bastion of American values.”

Venturing from his address to the veterans, Grimes spoke directly to the student body, calling on it to become involved. “I encourage everyone here to find their own paths of service,” he said.

Gasconade County R-1 Superintendent Geoff Neill used his time at the podium to remind those in attendance of the story of Veterans’ Day.

“It’s crucial to remember the history behind Veterans’ Day,” he said, explaining how the day first was known as Armistice Day, marking the end of hostilities during World War I at 11 a.m. Nov. 11 (11-11-11) in 1918.

The day became Veterans’ Day in 1938.

“We must always be grateful for their unwavering dedication and sacrifice,” the administrator said of the veterans. “Let us continue to honor our veterans not just this day but every day,” he added.

The morning’s events were produced and conducted by the school’s chapter of the Future Community & Career Leaders of America (FCCLA). The chapter’s various officers spoke to the veterans both at the breakfast and during the Appreciation Assembly. Haley Sunfield, chapter president, opened the events with her welcoming of the veterans.

Hermann VFW Post 4182 provided the Color Guard for the ceremony and Post Commander Jimmy Schutt accepted a donation of $205 from Little Bearcats Daycare Center prior to the start of the activities. Several youngsters of the center were on hand to make the donation presentation.

Table settings featuring the various branches of the military and presented to the veterans were created by students at Hermann Elementary School and Hermann Middle School, as well as the pre-schoolers at Little Bearcats.

During the assembly, the HHS Kammerchor and the HHS Wind Ensemble performed, under the direction of Mashar Schroer and Eric Menderski, respectively. A moment of silence for deceased veterans was observed, followed by the playing of Taps by Wind Ensemble member Cole Stocker.