Tennent Unveils Re-Dedicated Veterans Wall

After more than a year in storage, the plaques, pictures and banners that made up William Tennent's Veterans Wall of Honor have been returned to their proper place on the wall of the high school, reminding the students as they walked by of the enormous sacrifice and bravery that many graduates made for them.

Approximately 100 guests, including many veterans, attended the wall's re-dedication ceremony Monday morning, gathered on the second floor, just above the main lobby. Principal Dennis Best introduced a handful of speakers who spoke about the importance of not only remembering those who died to serve our country, but showing our gratitude to the soldiers and the families that are still with us.

"Just by saying 'thank you' to a veteran, you would be giving more than what most people need," said Frank Kosmaceski, a former Centennial School District teacher who served 20 years in the reserves.

Originally installed in 2005 through the efforts of student Amanda Keith, the Veterans Wall of Honor had to be taken down while demolition removed the old William Tennent and the new high school was constructed.

The Wall of Honor also featured three new plaques, recognizing the service of Robert Smith, the first graduate to die in the Vietnam War, Ed "Spike" Kordelski, a veteran and longtime security guard who died of natural causes earlier this year, and Brad Fox, a Tennent grad, former Marine and Plymouth Township police officer who tragically lost his life in the line of duty last year.

"Brad was a great guy and one of my best friends," said Gunnery Sergeant Tony Ruiz, who gave a heartfelt speech about his friend during the ceremony. "He was the kind of guy who always had a smile on his face."

Following the ceremony, many of the veterans attended social studies classrooms for question & answer panels that promised priceless advice and experience to help students connect with their predecessors. It's a valuable resource that William Tennent Alumni Association coordinator Chick Donnelly hopes to exploit as often as possible.

"This is a great start to turning the alumni association into something more than a social group," said Donnelly. "We want to become more active in the Centennial community, offer more mentoring opportunities. We've received a lot of interest by graduates that want to become more involved."