Earlier this fall, members of the Great Bend American Legion Post 180 and its auxiliary visited Great Bend schools to present a program on the history of the U.S. flag and flag etiquette. This week, sixth graders at Riley Elementary School invited the veterans back for a special presentation.

To say thank you to the veterans, sixth-graders in Bette Hartshorn and Hanna Laurin’s classrooms made a large paper flag, using rows of red handprints to make the red stripes. Each student signed his or her handprint. In the white areas they added the message, “Thank you - Happy Veterans Day - Riley 6th grade.”

American Legion Commander Ralph Sunley, Vice Commander Katherine Piper and Auxiliary member Jeannie Munsch returned to Riley on Tuesday to receive the gift.

Most of the students who saw the flag etiquette program in September were fourth-graders, but since the American Legion wasn’t able to do its presentation at Riley Elementary School in recent years, they addressed grades 4-6 at that school.

The sixth-graders and teachers said they learned some new things about the proper way to display the flag.