Flag Raising Teaches Valuable Lesson in Patriotism

For the next two weeks the flag flying in front of Ramtown School will be unlike any other in the district. Prior to arriving at the school on Ramtown Greenville Road, the flag was hoisted above the United States Capitol in Washington D.C.

The school received this special symbol of patriotism thanks to the efforts of Cindy Imperiale and her class of second graders. This year the students have had the chance to talk to Imperiale's father, Robert Wiegand, through SKYPE while he lives in Florida and Pennsylvania. 

Imperiale said the goal was to teach both technology and a different means of communication while learning valuable lessons in patriotism. Patriotism is something that is very important to Wiegand, an Air Force veteran who also served with the New York Fire Department. "He had contacted a congressman to have a flag flown over the capitol in the children's name," she said. 

When the flag arrived at the school the students asked principal Albert Bohrer if they could fly it on their flagpole until Flag Day which this year is June 14.

With several other classes from first through third grade watching on there was a sense of excitment at seeing their hard work pay off. Not only was the flag raised to replace the regular one the school uses, but the students also each got the chance to pull the rope as they watched the new flag climb to the top of the pole.

What would have otherwise been a normal lunch period became much more than that and the students all agreed that they were glad to be part of such a special occasion.