U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education, Ray Simon visited Franklin Sherman Elementary School in McLean, Virginia today where he spoke to students and paid tribute to America's troops as part of the "ThanksUSA" effort to mobilize citizens of all ages to thank the men and women of the armed forces for their contributions to preserving our freedom. Deputy Secretary Simon stressed the value of American history in our schools along with the importance of Memorial Day as a national holiday for recognizing the sacrifices our service men and women have made to keep us free. Following are excerpts from his remarks:

"On Monday, we celebrate a very special national holiday, Memorial Day, to recognize and say thank you in a special way to all those brave people throughout history and even today who are fighting around the world, many of them giving of their lives so that we will be safe and free in America."

"Remember too, that today will be history tomorrow. All of you will be a part of that. How you will be remembered in history will largely depend on how you act, behave and support your country, as you get older."

"I hope each of you will take the same opportunity... to see all the great history within our reach."

For more information, please visit http://www.thanksusa.org/main/index.html, www.americasupportsyou.mil, and www.ed.gov

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