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Limitless Potential. Real-World Ready

WSD Spotlight: OMS Students and Veterans Raise the Flag Together

Posted Date: 11/10/26 (04:30 PM)
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A group of young men, adults, and veterans stand as a group in the street.

WSD Spotlight

Limitless Potential, Real World Ready

OMS Students and Veterans Raise the Flag Together

Tony Sandoval had noticed something around town. There weren’t as many American flags out as there used to be.

Now the neighborhood around Orchard Middle School looks a little more patriotic. Last Thursday, SkillsUSA students from OMS installed U.S. flags at five homes on Mills St. and Sunset Ave., just in time for Veterans Day.

SkillsUSA is a national organization for middle school, high school and college students headed toward careers in the trades, technical fields and skilled service. Students compete at the local, regional and state levels in events created and judged by people working in those industries. The top competitors go on to the national SkillsUSA Championships, where more than 6,000 state champions compete in well over 100 skilled and leadership events. 
A student uses a drill to against the side of a house.

Finding Project Inspiration

It all started with a search for a community service project ahead of the group’s SkillsUSA competition. OMS teacher Neil Speitz wanted it to mean something, and the inspiration was already in the classroom. The paraeducator in Neil’s classroom, Kenny Robinson is a Veteran.

Neil called Tony Sandoval, a former OMS wrestling coach, to talk through ways to support local Veterans. That’s when Tony brought up noticing an absence of flags around town. He put the group in touch with Mike Garner at Wenatchee American Legion. The Legion took the idea to its board and agreed to supply the flags and send volunteers to help Neil’s class with the project.

Students canvassed the neighborhood around Orchard handing out flyers to nearby homes, and neighbors started signing up. 
A group of students and veterans stand on the front porch of a home that had a flag installed.

Standing Together

Before the installations, Mike and other Legion members came to the classroom to talk with students about the history of the U.S. flag and what it stands for.

While some students hung flags, others interviewed homeowners and took photos documenting the process. OMS students will present their community service project at the SkillsUSA competition in January.

This is what learning looks like outside of the classroom. Students heard from Veterans, worked beside them, and showed up for their neighbors. 

Thank you to all of the military veterans in our school community for their service. 

WE are Wenatchee.
Learn more about SkillsUSA at skillsusa.org.