St. Francis High School honored its seniors committed to military service after graduation with a special program held before school May 16. During the Military Signing Day event, 12 students were formally recognized in front of proud families, fellow students, staff, military recruiters, and community members. In total, 16 seniors plan to serve in the armed forces after graduation.
The event included words of encouragement from SFHS Principal Doug Austin, School Board Chair and Maj. Nathan Burr, Minnesota Army National Guard and current members of the military.
Students recited the enlistment oath during a swearing-in ceremony and received graduation cords to represent their commitment to serving in the military after high school. Burr and 25-year military veteran Mike Starr presented the cords to the students. View photos from Military Signing Day.
The seniors who plan to enter into the military after high school are:
David Anderson - Marines
Wyatt Benson - Army National Guard
Nicholas Braski - Army National Guard
Jeneya Burgess - Army National Guard
Dominic Crow - Navy
Vance Dassow - Marines
Danielle Gerlach - Army National Guard
Diego Gonzalez - Army National Guard
Jacob Hedden - Marines
Jayden Lux - Army
Hailey Lund - Army National Guard
Nicholas Ploussard - Army
Russell Rousu - Army National Guard
Avery Snippen - Navy
Andrew Splettstoesser - Army
Jackson Wampole - Army National Guard
The ceremony marked the fourth year the school has hosted a military signing event and marked the first time it was a Our Community Salutes Military Signing Day. The mission of OCS is to recognize and honor high school enlistees and their commitment to military service and to provide parents/guardians of enlistees with community support as their son or daughter transition into military service.