Heroes of Neenah
In spring of 2016 during our Heroes unit, students decided they wanted to create a permanent structure to recognize unsung heroes in the community. Three Arete students designed and welded a tree using rebar. With the help of Mr. Travis McDonough, Mason Luebke, Trent Formiller and Jack Zeinert created the piece of art. Our inaugural inductees were Elmer Burr, who died while saving fellow soldiers on Christmas Eve 1942 and Eileen McCoy, longtime director of the Neenah Park and Rec department.
In 2017 the inductees were Anthony Leiton, a Neenah-Menasha firefighter and Debbie Griffith, a Neenah philanthropist responsible for helping schools throughout the community.
The ceremony is entirely student generated; from its initial organization, to the writing of speeches, decorating, gathering of speakers, playing music, inviting heroes’ families and gathering food and supplies for the post ceremony reception. Putting on an event with so much community interaction is pressure packed, yet exhilarating and is one way our students live out Billie Jean King’s words, “Pressure is a privilege.”
