American Preparatory Academy students in Draper gathered, their voices rising in patriotic song and tributes to mark Memorial Day. The ceremony, attended by teachers, veterans and special guests, took on a deeper resonance when Sabin Howard, the artist behind the national World War I Memorial, addressed the students. 

Howard urged them to see beyond the 58-foot-long bronze sculpture of 38 human figures depicting a single doughboy’s journey and remember the real sacrifices it represents: the true cost of freedom. He challenged them to honor their freedom through their actions and character, not just during ceremonies.

“What will you do with the freedom you have been given?” he asked students. “What will you do with the freedom that you have been given, and that means, what will you do with your life?”

Howard recounted his personal journey, from cabinetmaker to aspiring artist, describing how he began with a book to learn how to draw and pursued his dream.

“I started at zero. I had a dream, I had a vision, and I'd been given a gift—a God-given gift of life. How will you use it? What will you do? I decided I was going to make art like Michelangelo, Leonardo and Rafael, and so 42 years later, I made that memorial,” he said about the World War I Memorial which was unveiled last fall.

Howard’s sculpture, inspired by both veterans and his own family members who modeled for the figures, serves as a tribute to the sacrifices of American soldiers during The Great War.

That sacrifice of leaving loved ones and witnessing loss at battles is felt during every war and conflict, as shared by sixth-grade students in the reciting of “In Flanders Field” by Canadian John McCrae and the second graders responding with “The Answer,” written in response to “In Flanders Field” by American J. A. Armstrong. Secondary students shared the Gettysburg Address and symbolic representation of our memorials, and sang, “Blades of Grass and Pure White Stones,” a song about Arlington National Cemetery.

The Memorial Day commemoration was punctuated by musical performances, including “Simple Gifts” by third graders, “America the Beautiful” by first graders, and “Homeward Bound” by fifth graders.

The ceremony included educational moments. For example, students learned about the history of “Taps,” officially adopted to use at U.S. military funerals in 1891, which fourth graders then sang. They also reflected on the more than 1 million American lives lost in service and were reminded of former President Bill Clinton’s establishment of a “National Moment of Remembrance” for Memorial Day. 

However, the realities of war don’t always end on the battlefield, as shared by Craig Hicken, a Gold Star father, who spoke of his son Erik, a Utah National Guard sergeant. Known for his kindness and generosity, Erik gave of himself to anyone, his father remembered.

“He once gave his coat to a homeless man, to his brother's dismay, because, ‘no one should be cold,’” his father remembered.

Erik was also known for standing up for others.

“He was quick to defend those who could not or would not confront their tormentors,” Hicken said, recalling how his son befriended and protected a special needs student who was bulled in middle school. “He never wanted anyone to feel alone.”

But Erik’s service took a toll. During his deployment to Syria in 2020, he witnessed the devastating realities of war.

“Erik saw war and the atrocities that are associated with it,” Hicken said. “Erik was deeply scarred in his heart and soul by the things he had seen.”

Though he continued to show love and care for others, the inner pain became overwhelming.

“He kept his selfless love for everyone around him. He was so busy taking care of everyone else that he forgot to take care of himself,” his father said.

In January 2022, Erik died by suicide. 

“It is estimated 22 veterans per day take their own life, a sobering statistic that needs to be acknowledged and stopped,” Hicken said. “On this Memorial Day, we, as a great nation, should remember what this day is about—honoring those men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice so the rest of us can enjoy the freedom.” λ