FRANKLIN — Franklin High School celebrated Veterans Day by hosting a special panel discussion led by members of the district community who have served in the United States Armed Forces.
The event took place during the district's new WIN Block, a flexible period added to this year's schedule that provides targeted academic support, intervention, and enrichment.
For this block on Wednesday, Nov. 12, teacher and U.S. Coast Guard veteran Charles Fidler organized a panel of fellow veterans to share their experiences and answer students' questions.
The panel included:
- Superintendent Lucas Giguere, Sergeant, United States Marine Corps — TOW Platoon, 25th Marine Regiment, mobilized during Operation Enduring Freedom
- Charles Fidler, U.S. Coast Guard, Marine Science Technician — Port security, counter-terrorism, and drug interdiction missions during the Global War on Terror
- Mark Terra-Thomas, Army National Guard — Civil Affairs (1993-99)
- Christopher Kelly, United States Army, Military Police Corps — 64th Military Police Detachment, Bremerhaven, Germany (1979-81); current Franklin High School history teacher
- Colonel Ryan Levesque (Ret.), United States Army — Field Artillery, 26 years of service across the U.S. and abroad, including Bosnia, Iraq and Kuwait
- Officer Paul Guarino, United States Army — Military Police; current Franklin School Resource Officer
Most panelists are current Franklin Public Schools staff members. Colonel Levesque participated as a district parent.
Students heard stories from each veteran and engaged in a wide-ranging question-and-answer session. The program also included recognition of students who plan to enter military service after graduation.
"Our goal was to honor Veterans Day in a meaningful way and give students an open space to learn directly from those who have served," said Fidler, who organized the event. "Their engagement and thoughtful questions made the event a powerful experience for everyone in the room."
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