The Bucktail High School Band, under the direction of Bucktail Campus Band Director Brandon Kahley, will open the assembly with “The Armed Services Medley.” The theme of this year’s assembly is “A Legacy of Loyalty and Service.” The assembly hosts are Mattisyn Mason, Miss Bucktail 2024, and Rosella Tarantella, Miss Laurel 2024 representative.

This year’s first guest speaker will be Col. Steven H. Rathmell, retired commander of the New York Air National Guard’s 224th Air Defense Group. He graduated from Bucktail, class of 1986.

Veteran Courtney Gardner Billings, Bucktail graduate, class of 2012, will sing a song made popular during World War II, “I’ll Be Seeing You.”

Following Courtney’s presentation, Bucktail Campus Dean of Students Mike Poorman will address the gathering. It will feature Bucktail seniors who were sworn into the Pennsylvania National Guard – Mattisyn Mason and Lillian Sporny.

Tom Tarantelle

Dan Heiser will follow with an iMovie of Renovo Elementary School and their tribute to our veterans.

In the second half of the program, retired U.S. Army First Sergeant Thomas Tarantella will address the gathering.

Autumn Gavlock, a local favorite, will be joined by Brandon Kahley singing Dolly Parton’s “Color Me America.” Hayleigh Dent and Martin Lewis will present an iMovie they helped create with Rich Wykoff, depicting the Greater Renovo Area Heritage Park.

Continuing the tradition, the 11th hour ceremony will follow with Junior Kedda Bissman playing the 11 drum beats, the unfurling of the American flag by the Bucktail Varsity Cheerleaders, led by Missy Getz and Mandy Ditty, the singing of the national anthem , by Junior Kedda Bissman and TAP play by band director Brandon Kahley.

The flag folding ceremony will follow with narrator John Tarantella, Jay Morocko and Art Kramer.

James Poleto, director of the Bucktail Campus, will close the meeting, followed by the Bucktail Band playing “America the Beautiful.”

Join the Bucktail community as it remembers all those who have served to protect and defend our country and who will continue to preserve the American way of life.

The public is invited to attend. Refreshments will follow Ms. Dufour’s family and consumer sciences classes in the gymnasium lobby.