SURPRISE, AZ — Students at Shadow Ridge High School got a firsthand look at what it means to serve in the military, hearing personal stories of sacrifice, resilience and service from veterans in their own community.
The event, called Take a Veteran to School Day, was organized by Spectrum and the History Channel to connect students with veterans and give them a better understanding of military service beyond what they learn in textbooks.
For Marine Corps veteran Brianna Larson, the opportunity to share her experiences was especially meaningful.
“They learn about these things through textbook only,” Larson said. “I think it was a fantastic opportunity for us to come together and showcase who we are.”
Larson served in the Marine Corps for five years, but joining the military wasn't originally part of her plan.
She said a difficult period in her personal life ultimately led her down that path.
“I ended up hitting a little bit of a rough patch in my life, I would say: had some family issues, got kicked out of the house, living on the street, bouncing from friend to friend,” Larson said.
Larson credits her military service with helping her turn her life around, giving her direction and stability during a challenging time.
Her story was one of several shared with students during the event, which brought together veterans with different military backgrounds and life experiences.
For Shadow Ridge High School junior Logan Azouz, hearing those stories helped change his perspective on the people who serve.
“This experience has kind of humanized people that go into the military instead of it being like one conglomerate,” Azouz said.
Fellow junior Jaxon Lujan said he was struck by how different each veteran's experience had been.
“What stood out most to me: I think just the different experiences each person had,” Lujan said. “Like every person had something different to say.”
The event featured veterans from the local community, including those working within the school district and Surprise Mayor Kevin Sartor, who reflected on his own military service.
“Looking back on my military service, I loved every minute of it,” Sartor said. “There was challenging times, there was hard times for sure, deployments, those types of things, but I think overall, just being a part of something bigger than myself, giving back to my country and making sure that we preserve those freedoms is really what it was ultimately about.”
Organizers said the goal was to give students a more personal understanding of the responsibilities and sacrifices associated with military service while recognizing veterans who continue contributing to their communities.
Rather than learning solely about military history, students had an opportunity to hear directly from people who lived through those experiences.
The conversations also highlighted how military service can shape a person's life long after leaving the armed forces, whether through careers, community involvement or public service.
For the veterans, the event was an opportunity to share lessons learned during their time in uniform. For students, it offered a chance to better understand the people behind the military and the different paths that led them to serve.
Organizers hope those firsthand accounts will encourage the next generation to consider the value of service, whether in the military or through other contributions to their communities.
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