Pictured: Liam Heraty, Bronxville High School Class President

May 28, 2021:  Bronxville High School Class President, Liam Heraty, was one of the speakers at this morning's Memorial Day event at The Bronxville School and delivered a moving speech.  You can see the speech as part of the recorded ceremony here or read it below.

"Good morning everyone. Before we begin, I want to thank those who made today’s event possible, including our faculty and staff, students, the PTA, members of the community, and those members of the armed forces who are here with us today in person and in spirit.

Each year on Memorial Day, we take time to honor and mourn the loss of those who served honorably in defending the sanctity of our nation. And while it’s far too easy to wrap ourselves in the celebratory nature of this holiday (what with the long weekend, warm weather, and barbecues), we must keep in mind the valiant men and women who took upon themselves the most selfless sacrifice to protect the joys we often take for granted.

This year has been especially poignant for us all as we live through a time of unparalleled difficulties and divisiveness. We stand at the apex of defeating a deadly virus, a fight we took upon as a nation united. Indeed, it was a fight that could not have been made without the efforts of our armed services. It was the members of our military who continued deployments amid the pandemic, often without being able to say goodbye to loved ones. It was also many members of the military who died at the hands of the same pandemic, often without loved ones being able to say goodbye to them. Yet the military served us directly, ensuring our safety from this pandemic, an enemy both foreign and domestic, was a priority. So to protect us from such, in the heart of New York City, our National Guard opened the largest vaccination site in the United States. To date, the Javits Center, staffed by over 300 members of the New York National Guard, has administered over half a million doses of the COVID vaccine. Today, thanks to their service, we do not have to mourn the loss of hundreds of thousands of citizens.

But the protections by our military extend far beyond our immediate health and safety. When members enter the armed forces, they swear an oath to uphold and protect the United States constitution. On Memorial Day, we, too, mourn the loss of those who defended the tenets of the nation we love: our freedoms, liberties, and rights, especially that to free and fair elections. Nevermore true was the latter than on January 6 of this year when rioters stormed the US Capitol building, undermining our democratic processes and the rule of law. Yet once again, it was the fortitude and bravery of the national guard and capitol police that secured and preserved our nation and its sovereignty. So though we lost fearless members of our military, of our society, their contributions speak volumes. And today, thanks to their service, we do not have to mourn the loss of democracy.

Beyond the abnormalities of this year, the members of our military wake up each day to serve and protect both ourselves and the nation we love. They risk the price of their own life, an immeasurable quantity, so that we may enjoy ours even more thoroughly. On Memorial Day, we mourn the loss of a soldier who leaves his family to serve so that one day his child may celebrate the joys of life: so that she can go sledding in the winter and celebrate the holidays with presents and gifts. So she may build majestic sandcastles on the beach and inevitably watch the shore consume it. So she can walk to her first day of school and learn about the world, one day graduating with a degree of her own. And so that she can fall in love and start a family of her own.

Today we thank the soldier who makes the ultimate sacrifice so that we will not have to. And so that we may fully savor the joys of life. 

Our safety, freedom, and happiness are predicated on the security of our nation. It is with humble deference and appreciation that as a school, and as a community, we thank you for your service."