Approximately 40 veterans and family members enjoy a morning of recognition, music and tribute
By Jim Beers
CHESTER – Monday morning, November 10, Chester Grade School faculty, students, and staff honored local veterans at their annual Veteran’s Day breakfast and school-wide assembly. The event began at 8:30 a.m. with a continental breakfast in the CGS cafeteria. Students who invited a guest veteran were allowed to go to the breakfast and join their guest for a delicious meal of fresh fruit, doughnuts, coffee, and orange juice.
Approximately 40 local veterans and their guests attended the event and enjoyed the royal treatment. The community was also invited to attend the celebration and several community members joined in on the fun and recognition.
A Veteran’s Day Assembly Committee worked hard to organize and implement the event including Katie Kelley, Sue Colonel, CGS Principal Tim Blair, Meg Smith, Casey Peters, Danielle Conway, and Assistant Principal Dr. Kristen Petrowske.
Sue Colonel, CGS Band Director and General Music Teacher did an amazing job organizing and directing a wide variety of music for the hour-long event. Mrs. Colonel taught the Kindergarten through 4th Grade students in learning two featured songs and directed the students in performing those songs to perfection. Local pianist, Vicky Beers, was the accompanist for the vocal performances.
Mrs. Colonel further worked with her 6th Grade Band and 7th & 8th Grade Junior High Band to learn instrumental music for the event. The 6th Grade Band was featured on one selection while the Junior High Band performed three songs. Both bands did a wonderful job of providing instrumental music for the assembly.
The assembly began with the entrance of a three-person Color Guard consisting of Suhaily Torres, Ethan Werner and Cameron McClaine. All three are Boy Scouts of America. The Color Guard led the group of Veteran Honorees into the gym as the Chester Grade School Junior High Band played, “Invincible”, by Robert W. Smith. Veterans and their family members were seated in reserved seats to the left of center stage on the floor.
Chester Grade School Principal Tim Blair gave a warm welcome to the crowd and the entire audience was led in the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by the singing of the National Anthem, “The Star Spangled Banner”.
Mrs. Colonel then directed the Kindergarteners, 1st Graders, 2nd Graders, 3rd Graders, and 4th Graders in singing, “God Bless America”, by Irving Berlin. CGS student, Kolin Martinez had the honor of introducing the first song. The 6th Grade Band then performed, “American Pride”, by Andrew Balent. Mabrie Cushman introduced the band number. Both performances were executed with talent, class and perfection.
It was now time for the guest speaker of the day. Chester High School Principal, Jeremy Blechle, took center stage to introduce the speaker, who was a much respected teacher at CHS. Wyatt Rueling, a history teacher and well-liked Quarterback Coach for the undefeated, Conference Champion JV YellowJackets, was the 2025 Veteran’s Day Guest Speaker.
Blechle asked to introduce Rueling due to the fact that Blechle had taught Rueling when he was in high school. Blechle then followed his career after college, into the United States Air Force, then back to CHS as a teacher. Blechle was quite honored to have the opportunity to introduce Rueling as a veteran and former student at CHS.
Wyatt welcomed all of the veterans in attendance and stated that he was honored to have been asked to speak at the assembly. Rueling noted that he was a teacher at CHS and a veteran, currently serving in the Air National Guard as a Captain in the United States Air Force.
Rueling then proceeded to tell everyone about his journey as a veteran and the reason he had chosen his career. Rueling graduated from Chester High School in 2015. Upon graduation he was conflicted between his desire to serve his country and to go to college and earn a college degree. He resolved that conflict by going to college and joining the ROTC Program.
Rueling said, “I saw that this was a perfect way to knock out two birds with one stone. It allowed me to go to college to get my Bachelor’s Degree as well as getting military training at the same time during my four years at college.”
Part of the deal was that he had to go into the Air Force in “active duty” for four years after graduating college. He was signed into the service as a Second Lieutenant the day after graduation. This began his journey in the US Military.
Rueling’s first job in the Air Force was to be a Nuclear and Missile Operations Officer. He moved to Vandenberg AFB in California for eight months to do his training, after which he sent 3 years and 4 months in Minot North Dakota. His job was to command Nuclear Missiles if necessary.
Rueling said, “There are three ways to launch a nuclear weapon, from a submarine, from a bomber air plane or from the land. I was assigned to a land bunker. If the President ever decided to launch a strike and do it from the land, I and several of my Missileers would have had to launch them.”
Rueling briefly discussed the high amount of responsibility involved with his position. While his job was very important, he later felt that he wanted to do something different in the military. As his four years came to a close, he realized that he really preferred to move closer to home and become a teacher. At the same time, he also wanted to keep serving his country.
That is when he decided to teach, and continue to serve. It just so happened that the Illinois Air National Guard was hiring for the exact position in which he was interested. He wanted to become an Intelligence Officer. Once again, Rueling “killed two birds with one stone”. He was able to teach, and serve in the Air National Guard at the same time.
In October of 2023 Rueling was promoted to the rank of Captain. He then transferred from full time active duty to part time duty in the Air National Guard, based in Springfield, Illinois. In 2024 he spent 6 months in San, Angelo, Texas at Goodfellow AFB to train to become an intelligence officer.
In this role, he strives to measure the enemy’s strengths and weaknesses, and their intent and capabilities. His discoveries help military decision-makers keep one step ahead of our enemies. Rueling said, “I have found a lot of joy in my job because I use a lot of history in my job and that helps us know what the bad guys will most likely do just by looking at and understanding their history.”
At the end of 2024 Rueling completed his training as an Intelligence Officer and moved back to Chester and accepted his full-time History teaching position at CHS. He now serves part time in the Air National Guard as an Intelligence Officer.
Rueling noted that he wanted to speak at the Veteran’s Day Assembly to honor those veterans that came before him, some of which gave much more than he. Rueling said that it is one way we all can help re-pay the debt that we owe to those veterans who sacrificed much more than we did, to help keep our nation safe and free. He was extremely happy and proud to be able to share his military journey with everyone at the Veteran’s Day Assembly!
Following Rueling’s portion of the event, the Junior High Band performed, “Preedom Pinale”, arranged by Michael Story. The song was introduced by Brooklyn Eggemeyer. The Kindergarten through 4th Grade Chorus then sang, “Thank You Soldiers”, by Michael & Angela Souders. That performance was introduced by Max Watson.
To close out the assembly, the CGS Junior High Band performed, “Marches of the Armed Forces”, arranged by Michael Sweeney. Kiersten Coffey introduced the song and Jaymie Dickerson narrated the various armed forces theme songs as they were being played. Members of the various branches of the armed forces were asked to stand and be recognized as their respective theme song was being played.
Closing remarks were then presented by Dr. Kristen Petrowske, Assistant Principal. The assembly was then complete and students were released to return to their classrooms.
This sign greeted local veterans at the 2025 Chester Grade School Veteran’s Day Assembly and breakfast. Jim Beers Photo
Approximately 40 local veterans and their guests attended the 2025 Veterans Day Assembly Monday November 10, Jim Beers Photo
Students, local veterans, teachers, staff, and guests stand to take part in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and to sing the National Anthem, “The Star Spangled Banner”, at the 2025 CGS Veteran’s Day Assembly. Jim Beers Photo
CGS Principal, Tim Blair, led the assembly in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and the singing of the Star Spangled Banner. Jim Beers Photo
Veterans and guests enjoy a delicious breakfast prior to the start6 of the Chester Grade School Veteran’s Day celebration Monday November 10 at CGS. Jim Beers Photo
A Boy Scout Color Guard led the veterans into the Chester Grade School Gym Monday November 10 at the 2025 CGS veteran’s Day Assembly. The scouts led the Pledge of Allegiance and saluted the flag during the National Anthem. Color Guard members include Suhaily Torres, Ethan Werner and Cameron McClaine. Jim Beers Photo
Guest Speaker at the 2025 Chester Grade School Veteran’s Day Assembly was former Chester High School graduate Wyatt Rueling. He is now a Captain in the Illinois Air National Giard and he teaches full time at Chester High School in the Histrory Department. He also is a quarterback coach for the 2025 undefeated, Conference Champion YellowJacket Football JV Football Team. Jim Beers Coach
Sue Colonel, CGS General Music Tacher and Band Director leads the kindergarten through 4th Grade chorus in singing, “God Bless America”, by Irving Berlin, at the annual Veterans Day Assembly at CGS. Jim Beers Photo
The Chester Grade School 6th Grade Band poses for a picture prior to the start of the Veteran’s Day Assembly at CGS. Jim Beers Photo
The CGS Junior High Band plays, “Invincible” by Robert W. Smith, to usher the Color Guard and Veterans into the CGS Gym for the start of the 2025 CGS Veterans Day Assembly. Jim Beers Photo
Local Accompanist Vicky Beers provided piano accompaniment for both of the Kindergarten through 4th Grade Chorus songs at the 2025 Chester Grade School Veterans Day Assembly. Jim Beers Photo
Local Veteran Ken Dillman is impressed with te Veterans Breakfast served prior to the 2025 Veteran’s Day Assembly at CGS Monday November 10. Jim Beers Photo
Jeremy Blechle, Chester High School Principal. introduced Wyatt Rueling, the Guest Speaker at the 2025 Chester Grade School Veteran’s Day Assembly. Blechle taught Rueling when he was a student at CHS. and now, Rueling teaches Histrory at CHS and Blechle is his principal. Blechle took, pride in introducing Rueling who is now a Captain in the Illinois Air National Guard. Jim Beers Photo
Dr. Kristen Petrowske, Assistant Principal at Chester Grade School, provides Closing Remarks to end the 2025 Veterans Day Assembly. Jim Beers Photo
Kolin Martinez introduces the Kindergarten thru 4th Grade Chorus in their performance of “God Bless America”. Jim Beers Photo
Mabrie Cushman introduces the 6trh Grade Band performance of, “American Pride” by Andrew Balent. Jim Beers Photo
Brooklyn Eggemeyer introduces the CGS Junior High Band performance of “Freedom Finale”, arranged by Michael Story.
Max Watson introduces the Kindergarten thru 4th Grade Chorus performance of “Thank You Soldiers”, Michael & Angela Souders. Jim Beers Photo
Kiersten Coffey introduces the Junior High Band performance of “Marches of the Armed Forces” arranged by Michael Sweeney. Jim Beers Photo
Jaymie Dickerson announces the various armed force’s theme songs during the Junior High Band performance of, “Marches of the Armed Forces”. Jim Beers Photo