Students at Somerset County Vocational High School in Bridgewater participated in a special event to remind the community what Memorial Day is really all about.

Students, staff, parents, local veterans and Gold Star families celebrated the school’s fifth annual Proud to be an American Day. It was organized by veteran and social studies teacher Edward Graf.

“We really had this event with the students to show them to be proud of our country. To recognize the sacrifices of the men and women in uniform who gave their lives to services in our nations,” Graf says.

Military helicopters flew over the campus and landed on their athletic field.

Those honored in the ceremony Thursday include Marine 1st-Lt. Travis Manion who was recently killed in Iraq and Navy Lt. Christopher Mosko who died in Afghanistan.

The students raised about $14,000 to help pay for the event.