A special Memorial Day service starring kindergarten students from L.B. Morris Elementary School, Jim Thorpe kicked off the Memorial Day weekend Thursday.

Each year the kindergarteners put together a Memorial Day program for veterans and their families."They've been doing it for longer than I can tell you," said kindergarten teacher Shawn Bierman, "But this is our third year doing this program."The program was changed three years ago in order to focus more on the veterans themselves. The Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines were represented in the program through song and costumes.Two children from each of the four classes donned the uniforms of the four military branches. Emily Dart and Jordan Remmel represented the Army, Brooke McKeon and Dominic Roberti wore the Navy outfits, Gabrielle and Nikolas Cinicola modeled the Air Force uniforms and Rowan Melber and Mia Snyder donned the Marines uniforms.The program featured musical numbers, "This Land is Your Land," "America," "The Caissons," "Anchors Aweigh," "The U.S. Air Force," "Marine's Hymn," "Yankee Doodle" and "America the Beautiful." During "Yankee Doodle" the kids asked the audience to wave the American flags that were provided.Kindergarten teachers Bierman, Shannon Fannock, Ginger Flyzik and Erica O'Donnell worked for a month to put the program together while the kindergarteners had been working on the songs with music teacher Sherry Schafer since after winter break.The veterans were asked to stand during the singing of their branch of the military's song and then were honored in the front of the red, white and blue decorated stage at the end of the program.After the program, the veterans were invited to stay for refreshments.