Middle Schoolers Support Korean War Veteran

Seventh and eighth grade students at Legacy Traditional School - Northwest Tucson have achieved a remarkable feat. Members of the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) and Student Council dedicated nearly a full school year to fundraising for Honor Flight Southern Arizona.

Fundraising Efforts and Student Pride

Through a series of events, including school dances and a vibrant carnival, the students collectively raised enough money to send Korean War veteran John Carlstrom on a memorable trip. NJHS President Gigi Hand expressed immense pride in the student body, stating, “I couldn’t be more proud of our student body, our Student Council and our NJHS, and I know we’re all just so thrilled and excited for him, that he gets to go and do this part of his life that he’s going to remember.”

Veteran Carlstrom's Upcoming Journey

Carlstrom, who will turn 97 next month, is preparing for a flight to Washington D.C. to visit the memorials honoring military service. He shared, “I had thought about this honor flight for many years.”

Honor Flight Details

The Honor Flight is scheduled to depart on June 1st and return to Tucson on June 3rd. Carlstrom expressed his gratitude for the students’ dedication, saying, “I’m impressed with their activity and the planning and actual work that they did to make this happen for me. This is really quite an honor, and I’ll remember it always.”

This story was originally reported on-air and has been adapted for online publication with AI assistance, undergoing thorough verification by our editorial team for accuracy and fairness.