Every time military recruiters come to our school, I see students rush past, eager to eat lunch, without a second glance. Very few students stop to talk to them, and many of these students might be looking for a career in the military.

Where is the ‘thank you for your service’ or ‘how are you today’? Where is the appreciation for the sacrifices their comrades are going through every single day overseas?

There is not a single club at Smoky Hill High School dedicated to our troops; the most we might do is send a few Christmas cards during the holidays because our teachers ask us to. Is this all they deserve? The student body has little to no appreciation for our military members.

I have seen students talk about going in the military, but I haven’t heard anyone talk about the sacrifices our military makes in order for us to have rights. Men and women have lost their limbs, sanity, and life so that people can have to right of freedom of speech. Without these men and women, where is our safety?

One way to raise awareness is to hold R.E.D. Fridays to Remember Everyone Deployed by wearing red. Or we can start showing our appreciation by shaking a veteran’s hand or ask them how their day was. Smoky Hill needs to actively support our military; anything to show that we care.