The school has a reputation for keeping kids in school longer than necessary, just look at the days we start and finish this school year as an example. It doesn’t help that we only have snow days during polar vortexes, we lack historical appreciation (I’m talking about that legendary Cubs’ parade), and we even attend on national holidays.

Veterans Day, celebrated on Friday, Nov. 11 this year, has our school doors open for business. Rather than taking a day off to appreciate those that served for our country, we will be solving derivatives in Calculus and writing in-class essays in English. 

The funny thing is, we already fulfill the quota. Why must we attend during national holidays when we already fill the capacity of school days in a year? And why are we swapping Veterans Day, a legitimate holiday, out for a school day, when there are countless other holidays that shouldn’t be celebrated (like Columbus day).

“It’s really sad that our school doesn’t recognizes Veterans Day as a day off for students,” said Milica Cirovic, sophomore. “We don’t even celebrate it throughout the school week.”

Of course, some schools choose not to celebrate Veterans Day, but make up for it by hosting assemblies, programs, or charity events for the specific day. But our school does neither. Why do choose to opt out on the celebrations?

“Both of my grandparents are veterans,” said Bradley Frederick, senior. “It’s a meaningful day for me because it’s a day to pay my respects to those who have served and currently serve our country.”

Veterans Day is spent appreciating those that have fought or lost their lives defending our country and its freedom. The holiday is traditionally celebrated on a local, community level, where local municipals plant poppy plants, commemorate historical landmarks, or pay tribute to surviving veterans. This appreciation is impossible to display when we’re at school for the whole day.

“Maybe, instead of having a whole day off, we could have an assembly,” said Cirovic. “Having a whole day off of school could be a waste, but I think having an assembly would get the message across.”

The sad fact is, Hinsdale Central has never dedicated much attention to the holiday. Whereas rival schools, like LT, hold whole-school assemblies that are focused on the central theme of commemorating veterans, no such tradition lies in the halls of our school. Are we less patriotic? Are we less appreciative?

“Veterans day plays an important role in our lives,” said Boy Scout Sachin Shiva, junior. “Every day, there are heroes fighting for us, and that should at least be something we acknowledge.”

Maybe one day, our school will be more appreciative. It doesn’t even have to be a day off. It can just be an assembly. Something that will make students think about the people that have risked their lives. Something that will remind us of the veterans who played a crucial role producing the way we live today.