As part of a tradition that is over a decade old, Locust Valley High School seniors spoke with veterans at the school’s annual Flags for Freedom ceremony. The event on Friday, June 6, was held in partnership with Operation Democracy and aimed to teach students about veterans’ sacrifices, flag etiquette, and symbolism.
“This event is a moment when generations meet, and the hands that once carried the weight of our nation’s freedom now passes it off to the next generation,” said Operation Democracy representative Carol Cotton.
Operation Democracy, a Locust Valley-based organization, aims to foster “peace through global relations while educating a new generation of American students about war, peace, patriotism, and the true cost of freedom,” according to its website.
At the annual Flags for Freedom ceremony, veterans demonstrated to students how to fold the flag and what each fold symbolizes. Veterans from Bayville American Legion Post 1285 and Locust Valley American Legion Post 962 met one-on-one with seniors, giving them each a flag and a copy of the U.S. Constitution.
“Today, I encourage the Class of 2025 to reflect on the sacrifices and take this opportunity to speak with the veterans joining us today,” said Janine Sampino, assistant superintendent for curriculum instruction.
The Locust Valley program first began in 2014.
“It has been a privilege to see this tradition grow each year and I look forward to seeing the impact in the years ahead,”she said.
This year’s veteran speaker, Renato Spampinato, has a special tie to the school district as the father of three Locust Valley students. At this year’s Flags for Freedom event, he presented his son, senior Nick Spampinato, with the first flag of the ceremony.
“My military time deeply shaped my life with tough work and long hours, and also great times and lasting friendships. Good people have given up a lot for you to enjoy this great country,” Spampinato said.
The school said senior Ricardo Moran-Cruz will be joining the U.S. Marine Corps after graduation and had the opportunity to speak with a Marine veteran at the ceremony.
The Flags for Freedom program is not the only civic engagement program that the district implements, however. In March, the school welcomed Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado and state Assembly Member Jake Blumencranz to celebrate its civic engagement curriculum.
State and school officials discussed civic engagement program expansion, aided by a $20,000 state-funded grant that funded civic engagement projects in the current school year, secured by Blumencranz. He said he worked with the school district to design the program’s expansion.
“They really utilized that money to help students, not only in their schools but all over the county,” Blumencranz said in March.
In addition to the annual flag ceremony, the district also organizes a high school veterans’ lunch, a high school student civic summit, a district-wide weeklong curriculum about Normandy and an annual student trip to Normandy to commemorate D-Day’s anniversary.
