Bishop Gorman High School was one of the few schools that remained in session on Monday, Nov. 11, celebrating those who have served and are actively serving in the military. The students and faculty also honored the staff members and students’ family members who have fought for our freedom.
Every Veteran’s Day, Bishop Gorman recognizes these soldiers through a school-wide assembly, with the students in their mass uniforms. And every year, without fail, there is a lasting impact that is carried throughout the remainder of the holiday.
“This year’s Veterans Day assembly affected me and impacted me a lot mainly because we had a younger guest speaker this year. It was way easier to hear from him because he was a Gorman grad, and it affected the rest of my school day,” said Gianna Nahkle ‘25.
This year’s assembly began with the military color guard doing a short march, holding American and Nevada flags, as the Bishop Gorman theater guild sang a patriotic song through this walk. Shortly after, the past veterans who are teachers or faculty at Bishop Gorman were recognized for their actions and service for America.
Then, this year’s guest speaker, Michael Bonafazio ‘19, took the podium and gave a heartfelt speech that allowed him to connect with the students and tell a little about his time at West Point Academy.
“Coming back to BG to educate the students on the importance of Veterans Day was a true and surreal honor. I vividly remember attending the Veterans Day assembly when I was at BG and although I don’t recall exactly what was said, I remember how the service members who spoke that day made me feel,” said Bonifazio.
The speech entailed his journey starting at Bishop Gorman, and went on about his acceptance in Notre Dame and USC. He stated that he never would’ve thought about going into the military until his Gorman AP Government teacher brought it up. This motivated him to look into the West Point Military Academy, and he began to be interested in the idea of serving the country.
“When I was thinking about college, I decided that I wanted to choose a road less traveled, challenge myself to the fullest, learn true life lessons beyond my years, and be trained to lead people – a skill that is invaluable in every career field. I also wanted to serve. I decided that my goals would be better aligned with West Point over USC,” said Bonifazio.
During the speech, Bonafazio touched on the three key things he has learned during his journey: humility, resilience, and perspective. He related those life skills back to Bishop Gorman, stating that these lessons are instilled in us every day, even if the students don’t necessarily see it. The students are held to a higher standard, which is the same idea as any military organization.
“The military culture and military academy route are not very well known in Las Vegas, NV, and so when BG asked me if I would want to speak at the assembly I thought it would be a great way to advertise these lesser known avenues to the most influential high school in Las Vegas, as well as to bring positive attention to the men and women in uniform whose stories should inspire all Americans to serve others in any way they can, every single day,” said Bonifazio.
Bonafazio’s speech impacted many students, judging by how many people were staying behind after the assembly concluded, waiting to shake his hand or take a picture with him. It was a nice experience for the students to hear from a Bishop Gorman graduate, and how attending this high school will affect the students for the rest of our lives.
“He expanded upon the idea of why an academy is so important because we need to get more people to realize how much it benefits the rest of our lives- only five years of service afterward and then you could save for the rest of your life for any job because you already had five years of job experience immediately after college. I think it’s really important for people to realize how beneficial an academy is for your life and I think he did a great job explaining that,” said James Gallo ‘25.
Bonifazio came into this experience with one goal in mind: “I hope the students of BG can at least remember feeling proud of our veterans during their assembly, the way I felt proud when I was in their seats,” said Bonifazio. It is safe to say that the entire Bishop Gorman community resonated with his words and showed reverence to those who have restored our freedom.
