Bellefonte High School honors veterans with annual assembly
Trending
BELLEFONTE -- Bellefonte Area High School students heard from two local military veterans Monday during the school’s annual Veterans Day assembly, which focused on the lessons of military service and the sacrifices made by service members and their families.
The Nov. 9 assembly was held in two sessions, divided by grade level, and featured Master Chief Fire Controlman Shawn Kearns, a retired U.S. Navy veteran, and Sgt. 1st Class Steve Mason, a retired U.S. Army veteran.
Senior Kayla Leddy opened the assembly with a performance of the National Anthem before Kearns addressed students about his 25 years of military service.
Kearns, a native of Lewistown, enlisted in the Navy in August 1994 and retired in 2019. During his career, he served aboard several Navy ships, completed 10 overseas deployments and held leadership positions in combat systems operations and maintenance. He also served as a ballistic missile defense instructor in Yokosuka, Japan.
Drawing on his military experience, Kearns spoke about how lessons learned through service can apply to everyday life. He emphasized the importance of leading by example, being there for others and caring for the people around you.
He also discussed the impact military service has on family members, explaining that military life often requires families to relocate to different states and spend extended periods of time apart.
Mason joined Kearns on stage to share his military experiences and answer questions from students.
Mason enlisted in the Army in 2003 as an infantryman and served at several military installations, including Fort Wainwright in Alaska, Fort Bliss in Texas, Fort Benning in Georgia and Schofield Barracks in Hawaii. He also served at Penn State University.
Throughout his career, Mason held several leadership positions, including rifleman, team leader, squad leader, platoon sergeant and drill sergeant. He also served as the lead of all jungle operations for the U.S. Army.
His military experience included multiple overseas deployments with conventional infantry and special forces units, as well as specialized training in jungle warfare, survival, mountaineering and other military operations. His awards include a Bronze Star, three Meritorious Service Medals and eight Army Commendation Medals.
Following the presentations, the two veterans took questions from students, giving them an opportunity to learn more about military service and the experiences of those who have served.
Outside of their military careers, Kearns and Mason work together on The Ghost Investigators, a project that produces paranormal investigation videos for YouTube and other platforms.
The school continued its Veterans Day recognition Wednesday, Nov. 11, with its annual breakfast for students whose parents have served in the military.
Now in its third consecutive year, the breakfast brought together approximately 25 parents and students from the Bellefonte Area School District.