Published Thursday, November 11, 2021
Images from left: The Marty Medellin Plaza stands outside Boswell High School. A plaque comemmorating Cpl. Marty Medellin is mounted just inside Boswell High School. Board President Steve Newcom addresses audience members during the Ceremony of Remembrance on Tuesday, November 9. Loved ones take pictures of the names of those they've lost comemmorated on the Marty Medellin Plaza on November 9.
Outside of Boswell High School stands a reverent memorial to honor individuals across the EMS ISD community who have passed away during their service in district, as first responders, or to our country. On Tuesday, November 9, 2021, the district hosted the inaugural Ceremony of Remembrance to pay tribute to the 116 individuals whose names are memorialized on the stone walls of the USMC Marty Medellin Memorial Plaza.
More than 100 students, staff, families, and community members gathered in the Boswell High School Fine Arts Center with families and loved ones to honor those lost.
“This is the first year for the EMS ISD Ceremony of Remembrance and I cannot think of a better time than during the week of Veterans Day to come together to pause for a time of remembrance and to pay tribute to those individuals from across the district who are forever remembered on the Memorial Plaza,” said Steven G. Newcom, Board President.
The evening was commemorated with Presentation of Colors and special student performances. Brief information of the 17 individuals recently added to the wall since the last engraving were read aloud, followed by the reading of all the names etched on the wall since its dedication in November 2004.
“Every name on that wall has a story and is a valued member of the Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD community,” said Dr. Jim F. Chadwell, Superintendent. “Our intent with this ceremony is to ensure that their memory moves forward from generation to generation, not just on the walls of the Memorial but also in all our hearts.”
The Memorial Plaza honors Cpl. Marty Medellin and all the EMS ISD military personnel who have given the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country, whether in military service or in emergency fire or police duty. The Memorial also honors students and staff members who have died while attending or employed in the district, as well as EMS ISD Board of Education members who have passed while serving on the board.
Special thanks to the Saginaw Air Force JROTC and the Saginaw High School Band ensemble for the Presentation of the Colors and National Anthem performance, to Boswell HS Senior Emma Delgado for her trumpet solo of TAPS, and to the Chisholm Trail HS Ranger Vocal Band for their closing performance of “Somewhere in My Memory.”
The district plans to host the Ceremony of Remembrance annually during the week of Veterans Day. The Memorial is open to the public for visitation at any time. Learn more about the Memorial on the district website.
