Local students make, donate nearly 150 grave markers for veterans
A group of students at the Laurel Highlands Senior High School helped a local organization by creating nearly 150 grave markers for veterans.
Charles Smitley, an instructor with the Manufacturing Technology Academy at the high school, said he learned that the AMVETS Post #103 in Hopwood was having trouble replacing damaged aluminum grave markers for veterans due to material shortages.
“World War II markers were hard to get and that was even before COVID,” said Stan Angel, post commander of the AMVETS Post #103. “Now everything is hard to get.”
Angel said it’s difficult to keep grave markers at veterans’ graves due to theft or damage from lawnmowers.
Smitley knew he and his students made the markers with the foundry at the school. A foundry is a device that casts metals into shapes by melting them down and then pouring the melted metals into sand that is molded to form shapes and designs.
For the project, Smitley said the students began by building sand molds to be poured with molten aluminum that was scavenged from old lawnmower engines.
“Most of those markers that needed replaced were because they were damaged by a lawnmower,” Smitley said. “That’s the irony of it.”
Once the molds were poured, Smitley said students then machined the parts to accept an American flag.
“The boys jumped in there and really pounded it out,” Smitley said, adding that the students had to rotate on the foundry when they weren’t doing another project because their foundry is not automated. “It was like a revolving door.”
“I thought the project was very respectful for veterans and was a good learning experience,” said student Chris Harmon, 18, of Uniontown. “It made me feel accomplished, and I felt great doing this project for our fallen soldiers.”
While fulfilling, Harmon said the most challenging aspects of the project were the sand molds falling apart or the sand not correctly imprinting.
Senior Bryan Yourchik, 18, of Uniontown said he looked forward to working on the markers, and said the project was close to his heart because his grandfather was a veteran.
“I was proud of how many we got done this year,” Yourchik said.
Smitley said the five seniors started the project around the end of March 2021, and were able to produce 143 grave markers that were delivered to Angel a couple of weeks ago.
“It couldn’t have come at a better time,” Angel said. “Our honor guard has been out to 66 funerals already this year, and they take a marker out with them and a flag.”
Smitley said the experience not only taught the students about how parts are foundry cast and machined, but also allowed them to perform a service to the veterans who served the country.
Each marker also has the students’ initials cast into the back. That allowed Smitley to grade the quality of each casting, but will also serve as a kind of legacy for the student as they may find the marker that they created decorating a fallen hero’s grave.
“It’s just a good thing. I appreciate what they did for us,” Angel said. “I think they did one heck of a good job.”