pre-Pledge Tribute

[ Note: Do not read aloud any text with [ brackets ] around it. ONLY READ THE TEXT IN BLUE. In a classrooom, we recommend 3 student-speakers lead and read aloud the 3 parts of this Pledge ceremony, which should only take 2-3 minutes and is available every #FlagDayFriday. ]

[ STUDENT SPEAKER 1 - read blue text only]

Good morning / afternoon / evening, __(insert name of your group - like "Heritage Elementary" or "Scout Troop")__.
Welcome to the Pledge of Allegiance Tribute for the week of March 23 - 29

Where is Our Flag, the U.S. Flag, at half-staff today?
The U.S. Flag is FULL STAFF across 48 of 50 states
...All Flags across NORTH CAROLINA are half-staff to honor 4 fallen soldiers...
...And, in OHIO, all Flags atop the Ohio Statehouse and across Mahoning and Hamilton counties are half-staff to remember a state representative and fallen officer...

[ GO HERE to review details about the half-staffs and their honorees - including portraits ]

[ STUDENT-SPEAKER 2 - read blue text only ]

THIS WEEK'S STORY FROM OUR FLAG:
Has America faced and overcome a pandemic and rationing before?

Since the founding of USA, there have been approximately 12 pandemics. A pandemic is a transmittable and deadly disease that has spread across different regions of the world. The worst pandemic to reach the USA, was the 1918 Influenza Pandemic, also known as the Spanish Flu. U.S. troops, unknowingly, carried and infected U.S. citizens with the Spanish Flu when they returned from fighting and winning World War I in Europe. The disease infected about 1/3 of the world's population, at that time that was about 500 million, and it killed about 50 million worldwide. In the U.S., about 675,000 citizens died from the Spanish Flu - most were on the East Coast where .

... Answers questions that many students have been asking themselves...
What is a pandemic? Why do I have to stay at home? And, why is our grocery store rationing some food and items like toilet paper?
A pandemic is a transmittable and deadly disease that has spread across different regions of the world. The worst pandemic to reach the USA, was the 1918 Influenza Pandemic, also known as the Spanish Flu. U.S. troops, unknowingly, carried and infected U.S. citizens with the Spanish Flu when they returned from fighting and defeating the Central Powers in Europe. The disease infected about 1/3 of the world's population, at that time that was about 500 million (today the U.S. has about 330 million people), and it killed about 50 million worldwide. In the U.S., about 675,000 citizens

[ STUDENT-SPEAKER 3 - read blue text only ]
THIS WEEK'S FALLEN PATRIOTS TO HONOR:

Thankfully, there were no US military service members killed in Global War on Terror (GWOT) combat zones this past week.

But, back on the homefront, ...

[ Corporal Daniel Groves ]

... sadly, during this past week, 1 Peace Officer, Colorado State Trooper Corporal Daniel H. Groves, was struck and killed by a vehicle while assisting the driver of another wrecked car during last week's blizzard.
Please, pray for all of this fallen Patriot and his family and friends in mourning.

[To review details of this year's first responder LODDs (Line of Duty Deaths), please visit the
Officer Down Memorial Page and Firehouse.com LODDs page]

Now, please, stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. Place your hand upon your heart and be mindful of Colonists' standing against British rules on the road to American independence.

Thanks for participating in today's
Flag Steward Pre-Pledge Tribute
Now, go be a stud citizen!!!

################
END OF CEREMONY
################

In God We Trust
(Official motto of the United States of America)

The U.S. Flag Code:
provides Our Flag's Rules and Regulations

Pledge of Allegiance to the flag; manner of delivery:
The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.", should be rendered by standing at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. When not in uniform men should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should remain silent, face the flag, and render the military salute.

[ Note: Header photo is edited screenshot from GGM class / MrHeadMusic YTvid ]