Jack Elementary School students and staff invited the community to join them in honoring all patriots, first responders, and the school namesake.
The student-led ceremony included the Pledge of Alliance to the American and Texas flags, remarks from Principal Brett Shelby, and a performance of the National Anthem by the Jack Elementary Choir before concluding with a playing of taps.
This year, Dr. Bryan C. Jack Elementary School is featured in the U.S. History section of Scholastic News magazine about their annual Patriot Day community event. More than six million students in grades first through sixth read Scholastic News magazine every week.
The school was presented with a flag listing the names of all who lost their lives during the 9/11 attacks by the Douglas family, who have three children at Jack Elementary and another child who will soon be attending. The students saw the flag with Dr. Bryan C. Jack’s name on it after visiting the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York City, NY, and wanted to present it to the school on Patriot Day.
Also, The American Veterans Traveling Tribute sent the school a plaque on Flight 77 that included the timeline of the plane hijacking and the names of the lives lost.
“Dr. Bryan C. Jack Elementary School represents the hidden gem that Tyler and East Texas continue to be,” Superintendent Dr. Marty Crawford said. “Just like the city and region the campus is located in, the school culture proudly reflects its mascot, the Patriot, through self-accountability and responsibility, in that if every student, parent, and staff member puts in the work, great results occur.”
Dr. Bryan C. Jack was on the plane that crashed into the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. He had worked there for more than 20 years, helping to create the U.S. military’s budget. Growing up, Jack attended schools in the Tyler ISD. Dr. Jack was also the son of Tyler ISD educators.
When a new elementary school opened in Tyler in 2007, it was named after Jack. Since then, the school has held a yearly ceremony on 9/11, also known as Patriot Day. Students lead the event, which celebrates Jack’s life and honors all those who died that day.
“Each year, it is an honor to recognize the namesake of Dr. Bryan C. Jack Elementary on Patriot Day,” Principal Brett Shelby said. “We take pride in learning about his contributions to our country, his leadership, and most significantly, the legacy he has left behind for years to come.”
The legacy of Dr. Bryan C. Jack has strong ties throughout the campus culture. He was a Patriot and a leader. To honor him, Jack Elementary School’s mascot is the Patriot, and their colors are red, white, and blue.
For more information, contact Jennifer Hines at Jennifer.Hines@TylerISD.org.