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Hamilton County: Students give teacher patriotic sendoff
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| Teacher Deploys | |
She held it together until “Anchors Aweigh.”
As students sang the last notes of the U.S. Navy theme song, Diana Fleshman grabbed her husband Kenny’s arm and put her hand to her face.
“I think I’m going to cry,” she whispered to him.
Mrs. Fleshman, a kindergarten teacher at North Hamilton County Elementary School, was the guest of honor Friday at a surprise patriotic assembly. After serving in the U.S. Navy Reserve for the past two years, Mrs. Fleshman deploys to Kuwait early next month. Friday was her last day teaching.
Principal Penny Leffew said she didn’t want to scare some of Mrs. Fleshman’s young students, so she skimmed over specifics of the teacher’s deployment.
“We don’t want a whole lot of crying,” she said.
The emphasis of Friday’s program was on patriotism, Ms. Leffew said.
“Mrs. Fleshman is a kindergarten teacher, but she also serves our country in the Navy Reserve, so we wanted to celebrate all she does for our country,” Ms. Leffew told her school Friday. “Thank you, Mrs. Fleshman.”
During the 20-minute assembly, the fourth- and fifth-grade chorus sang “God Bless America,” “Anchors Aweigh,” “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “Let There be Peace on Earth.” The rest of their classmates sat on the auditorium floor dressed in red, white and blue and waving miniature American flags.
By the end of the program, even Mrs. Fleshman’s kindergarten students seemed to understand that their teacher was leaving.
“I think she’s ... in the Navy,” said 5-year-old Bailey Holland.
When it was all over, a visibly overwhelmed Mrs. Fleshman made her way to the front of the auditorium.
“Thank you, everybody. It’s an honor to serve in the Navy Reserve, and I’ve had so much support from the staff, the community,” she said. “I’ll be back next year to teach.”
Next week, Chief Petty Officer Fleshman will begin five weeks of training in Virginia before leaving for Kuwait. After 13 years in the Navy Reserve, Mrs. Fleshman left the service to raise her four children, re-enlisting two years ago. This will be her first deployment.
“I’ve never had the first feeling of anxiety,” she said after hearing she would be heading to Kuwait. “It’s always just been a peace in my heart.”
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Comments
I am very proud of my mother for doing this. I remember, growing up, how much she enjoyed being in the U.S. Navy. She did not want to get out to stay home and take care of us. She told me about getting back into the Reserves, and she worked hard at getting in. I send my love and respect to my mother, she is a very remarkable woman.
Jeremy Fleshman
U.S. Air Force Reserves
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I am so proud of my friend Diana. She and I served together in the USN and I am honored to call her my lifelong friend and fellow Chief Petty Officer. She has always shown sacrificial patriotism and has two grown children serving in our armed forces, evidence that she has passed on her vision of service to our country. Truly remarkable!
Rochelle Prather
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