November 11, 2026 — Across the Cobb County School District, Veterans Day brought students, educators, and communities together to recognize the men and women who have served our country.
From veterans breakfasts and parades to school assemblies, musical performances, and personal stories of service, schools throughout the district found meaningful ways to express their gratitude and help students understand the sacrifices behind the freedoms they enjoy.
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At Pickett’s Mill Elementary School, students had a particularly special opportunity to learn from history firsthand when they welcomed 100-year-old U.S. Navy veteran Lieutenant Richard Stroud.
Sharing Stroud’s remarkable story was Lt. Col. Matt Gerber, a retired officer of the United States Air Force and United States Navy, who has developed a friendship with Stroud.
Gerber recounted Stroud’s journey from a Texas farm to the Navy, where he volunteered to serve during World War II at just 17 years old. Stroud went on to build an extraordinary aviation career, completing more than 1,000 aircraft carrier landings, including one during a Category 4 hurricane, and earning selection to the Navy’s Blue Angels flight demonstration team in 1951.
During his service, Stroud developed a friendship with Jesse Brown, the first African American naval aviator to complete Navy flight training.
Reflecting on that friendship, Gerber shared how Stroud stood up for a fellow serviceman when others treated him unfairly. The story reminded students that courage is not always demonstrated on a battlefield. Sometimes, it means standing up for what is right, showing kindness, and treating others with dignity and respect.
Stroud’s story offered students a powerful reminder that service extends beyond a uniform and that character is measured by how we treat others. That spirit of gratitude and learning was reflected throughout the district.
At Sprayberry High School, the school community also found a variety of ways to recognize those who served. Schoolwide Veterans Day activities included military displays, music, and special opportunities to show appreciation for veterans, giving students and staff a chance to reflect on the contributions of military members and their families.
At Lassiter High School, veterans were welcomed for a breakfast and presentation. Nickajack Elementary School planned a veterans breakfast and parade, while Powers Ferry Elementary School incorporated a student poem and flag ceremony into its recognition of local veterans.
Other elementary schools celebrated through special performances and opportunities for students to connect with veterans. Keheley Elementary School hosted a veterans breakfast and a kindergarten performance; Mountain View Elementary School's Honoring Our Heroes program featured the Honor Chorus; and Davis Elementary School paired its veterans breakfast with a ceremony and parade.
At Bullard, Russell, and Murdock elementary schools, military families and veterans were also recognized through breakfasts, parades, and special remarks.
Middle and high school students also joined in honoring those who served. Durham Middle School organized grade-level Veterans Day assemblies featuring fine arts performances and veteran recognition, while South Cobb High School held an afternoon ceremony honoring veterans from the school staff and surrounding community.
Though the celebrations looked different from school to school, they shared a common purpose: ensuring veterans felt appreciated while helping the next generation understand the meaning of service.
For students, these events offered more than a history lesson. They provided opportunities to hear firsthand accounts, ask questions, recognize the sacrifices made by military families, and connect the freedoms they experience every day to the individuals who have helped protect them.
Across Cobb Schools, the message was clear: We remember, we appreciate, and we are grateful to all who have answered the call to serve.
