Gockley Elementary School kindergarten students in teacher Angelica DeLucia’s class showed their appreciation for two local Marine Corps veterans Nov. 7. The students presented military veterans Jeffrey Snyder and Ray Gangaway with colorful letters of gratitude during a presentation.

Before the students presented Snyder and Gangaway with the letters, they peppered the veterans with questions about their military service, ranging from what jobs they performed while they served and the purpose of their uniforms and ribbons and medals worn.

Snyder, a Vietnam War veteran, served in the Marine Corps for 33-1/2 years, reaching the rank of master sergeant. Gangaway, also a Vietnam War veteran, served in the Marine Corps from 1967 to 1971, reaching the rank of corporal. Both men currently serve as members of Egypt Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 7293.

Snyder said the veterans’ visit to the class allowed the students to explore the military more.

“I think it’s great,” he said of the visit. “They had a chance to ask questions and get answers from those who served.”

Gangaway, dressed in his Marine Corps dress blues, agreed.

“This is fabulous,” he said. “I never did anything like this before.”

According to DeLucia, each year, kindergarten students complete a soldier writing project. She said, this year, the students recommended they personally give their projects to the veterans.

“The students wanted to show the veterans how much they mean to us,” DeLucia said. “It was truly a touching moment when they suggested to find some veterans that we can share our projects with.

“It was a wonderful day in kindergarten, spent with the two veterans from the VFW,” DeLucia added.