SMC Holds Events Honoring Veterans

SMC holds activities and events in observance of Veterans Day and honoring student veterans.

Friday, Nov. 11 is Veterans Day, and Santa Monica College (SMC) is honoring veterans by organizing several activities starting on Thursday, Nov. 10 through Saturday, Nov. 12.

War Words is a play written by Michelle Kholos Brooks and is part of a national initiative to honor veterans through theatrical storytelling. The play was in collaboration with NewYorkRep and the Santa Monica College Theatre Arts Department. Nov. 10, 2022. Santa Monica, Calif. (Ee Lin Tsen | The Corsair)

The cast of War Words circle cast member Ayinde Ross who plays Nate. Nate is the narrator of War Words and is based off real-life veteran Nathan Graeser. War Words is a play written by Michelle Kholos Brooks and is part of a national initiative to honor veterans through theatrical storytelling. The play was in collaboration with NewYorkRep and the Santa Monica College Theatre Arts Department. Nov. 10, 2022. Santa Monica, Calif. (Ee Lin Tsen | The Corsair)

Before the stage reading of War Words, array of chairs lie down on the stage except for one. War Words is a play written by Michelle Kholos Brooks and is part of a national initiative to honor veterans through theatrical storytelling. The play was in collaboration with NewYorkRep and the Santa Monica College Theatre Arts Department. Nov. 10, 2022. Santa Monica, Calif. (Ee Lin Tsen | The Corsair)

Jomarla Melancon plays Tiffany during the stage reading of War Words. War Words is a play written by Michelle Kholos Brooks and is part of a national initiative to honor veterans through theatrical storytelling. The play was in collaboration with NewYorkRep and the Santa Monica College Theatre Arts Department. Nov. 10, 2022. Santa Monica, Calif. (Ee Lin Tsen | The Corsair)

Justin Valine plays Chase a veteran in War Words as Jomarla Melancon watches. War Words is a play written by Michelle Kholos Brooks and is part of a national initiative to honor veterans through theatrical storytelling. The play was in collaboration with NewYorkRep and the Santa Monica College Theatre Arts Department. Nov. 10, 2022. Santa Monica, Calif. (Ee Lin Tsen | The Corsair)

Bright white lights replicate a bomb going off during War Words as character Matt acted by Sam Frank stands before the audience. War Words is a play written by Michelle Kholos Brooks and is part of a national initiative to honor veterans through theatrical storytelling. The play was in collaboration with NewYorkRep and the Santa Monica College Theatre Arts Department. Nov. 10, 2022. Santa Monica, Calif. (Ee Lin Tsen | The Corsair)

Christopher Pina delivers an emotional performance as Danny, a veteran battling PTSD in War Words. War Words is a play written by Michelle Kholos Brooks and is part of a national initiative to honor veterans through theatrical storytelling. The play was in collaboration with NewYorkRep and the Santa Monica College Theatre Arts Department. Nov. 10, 2022. Santa Monica, Calif. (Ee Lin Tsen | The Corsair)

Maxwell Montgomery plays Nash and crawls on stage during the stage reading of War Words. War Words is a play written by Michelle Kholos Brooks and is part of a national initiative to honor veterans through theatrical storytelling. The play was in collaboration with NewYorkRep and the Santa Monica College Theatre Arts Department. Nov. 10, 2022. Santa Monica, Calif. (Ee Lin Tsen | The Corsair)

(L-R) Sam Frank plays Max a soldier in War Words and acts alongside Leo Hall who plays Janis an Afghanistan translator. War Words is a play written by Michelle Kholos Brooks and is part of a national initiative to honor veterans through theatrical storytelling. The play was done in collaboration with NewYorkRep and the Santa Monica College Theatre Arts Department. Nov. 10, 2022. Santa Monica, Calif. (Ee Lin Tsen | The Corsair)

Audiences applaud the cast of War Words as they take a bow after their performance. War Words is a play written by Michelle Kholos Brooks and is part of a national initiative to honor veterans through theatrical storytelling. The play was in collaboration with NewYorkRep and the Santa Monica College Theatre Arts Department. Nov. 10, 2022. Santa Monica, Calif. (Ee Lin Tsen | The Corsair)

The first event held was the Veterans Day Ceremony, organized by the Veterans Success Center and the Students Veterans of America (SVA) club. The ceremony took place at the SMC Main Quad on Nov. 10. from 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. During the ceremony, the posting of colors was performed by the UCLA Air Force ROTC and were greeted by other student veterans of SMC. Two representatives from other colleges from the Inland Empire also attended sharing their stories from when they were in the armed forces many years ago.

“For a younger generation of veterans, it's difficult to relate to what they experienced and know all the old wars and all the battles such as the beaches stormed in Normandy," said Cory Michael Theiss, President of SVA. "With each generation that serves, we're carrying forward the heroism of the people that came before us who participated in those truly remarkable and the most momentous actions ever in human history."

Later that night at 7 p.m., SMC held a live script read-through of "War Words" at the Theatre Arts Studio Stage on the main campus. "War Words" is a play by Michelle Kholos Brook that revolves around true stories of soldiers that were sent to Iraq and Afghanistan, addressing those who came back home and those who were left behind.

Kholos Brooks hopes that through her play she can "build a bridge so that we can help other people, whether they are a different nationality or a different race, or in a different section of society, by creating understanding." The read-through was free and open to the public.

P.U.P. (Pets Unstressing Passengers) with the UCLA Air Force ROTC taking a group photo at the Veterans Ceremony at Santa Monica College. (Reis Novakovic | The Corsair)

Portrait of Corey Theiss, who is the President of the SVA(Student Veterans’ Association) at SMC and is the main organizer of the Veterans Day Ceremony. (Reis Novakovic | The Corsair)

Group photo of Hunter Santana(Left Most), Nicholas Saldutti(Middle Left), Roman Pama(Middle Right), and Rynn Lim(Right Most) who are with the UCLA Air Force ROTC. (Reis Novakovic | The Corsair)

On Saturday, Nov. 12, a Veterans Appreciation Football Game will be held on the Corsair Field at 1 p.m. This football game will be the first Veterans Appreciation Football Game, free for all veterans with ID. SMC will be going up against Santa Barbara City College and will consist of pre-game activities such as the posting of colors/UCLA Air Force ROTC and the traditional National Anthem. At halftime the school will take a moment to recognize and acknowledge their veterans.

According to SMC Institutional Research, as of Spring 2021 there are 446 enrolled veterans at SMC, or about 2 percent of the total enrolled students.

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