Sussex Academy honors military by folding flags for soldiers

Ahead of Veterans Day, Sussex Academy seventh graders participated in a nationwide project to provide inspirational messages to members of the military.

Scott Bleile’s classes welcomed Anita Hart, Michele La Padura and Gail Sellazo of the American Legion Auxiliary of American Legion Post 17 in Lewes to complete the Pocket Flag Project. Students and staff shared stories about their own military families before the lesson began.

First, Hart explained the meaning of each of the 13 folds of the flag while LaPadura and Sellazo folded a U.S. flag; when completely folded, the flag’s triangle shape represents President George Washington’s tricorn hat.

Next, students embarked on the project by folding small U.S. flags into the tricorn shape and writing personalized messages to troops. Each flag also includes a card of encouragement from the Pocket Flag Project. Flags will be distributed to active duty deployed or deploying troops, Hart said. Troops place the small flags in their pockets as a memento from home.

Sussex Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Georgetown.