JAJHS ran a Veterans Day essay contest, asking students to respond to the quesiton “What does ‘serving together’ mean to you?” A panel of judges selected two winners. This is Marlie Runkle’s winning essay.

The definition of serving is:to perform duties or services for (another person or an organization).

The definition of together is:with or in proximity to another person or people. But the definition for both these words are different for everyone. 

     Together can mean multiple different things. But to me together is when you pick up your friends, family, classmates and even enemies, off the ground when they need it. It means that you will never have to go through hard and good situations alone because you and others go through it together.

     To me serving is when you do a task for someone else and do the right thing that doesn’t just benefit you, even when people aren’t looking. When you help others to solve their problems and help them feel better, you shouldn’t just do it so everyone thinks you’re nice, you should do it because it is the best thing to do. It’s when you complete your labor and keep to your morals while doing so. Serving requires integrity.

     When you serve together there are many things you have to take into consideration. One thing you have to take in is you never leave someone behind or out no matter what your interconnection is with each other. Another factor is even when you are tempted to go against your orders and morals you have to do the right thing, even when you don’t get recognition for it. You also have to keep others and yourself in check. Sometimes in life you can’t just take in all the fame, you have to own up to your mistakes and help others fix theirs. It’s great to have a lot of friends but you have to make sure they are ones that will guide you in the right direction and keep you grounded. 

     Serving together is not only something that happens in the military, it happens in everyday life among students at Jonathan Alder Junior High School. We as people need to have grit and stick together no matter what the circumstance is. You never know what someone is going through and maybe you have experienced it too. Being civil and kind isn’t only something that you should do to your best friends, it is something you should do to everyone because you never know what is happening in their lives. Serving others together should be a way of life here at Jonathan Alder.

     In conclusion, serving together can mean a lot of different things. Veterans Day is about identifying others who have served together, it is about the veterans, who did serve together just for us and their country.  Let us look toward their examples. I would encourage us to work together, and begin serving others today.