Students captured stopping work to pay respect to anthem

Melbourne, Ark. (KAIT) - Two 8th graders at the Melbourne School District, were caught honoring the American flag when they thought no one was watching.

Ayden and Clayton are both on the junior high football team and managers on the high school team.

The week of Nov. 30-Dec.4th, the high school football team played at Prescott.

The boys were in a rush to get things off the bus but then noticed the National Anthem had been started.

Both boys weren’t paying attention to who was around them, and stopped unloading the bus, and paid respect to the American flag.

“We were running, and the national anthem came on, so we sat everything down and did the national anthem,” says Ayden.

A Prescott fan was walking through the parking lot when they took notice of the boys. While the person didn’t snap a picture of it, they did send a letter to the school commemorating the boys’ actions.

The boys told Region 8 News that they couldn’t see the flag, but heard the National Anthem and knew to stop what they were doing.

“I couldn’t find the flag! I just looked in the direction of where the field goal was because it was behind there,” says Ayden.

“I think it’s respectful because the people that fought for our country deserve that because they fought for our country, and that’s how we represent them,” says Clayton.

Everyone in Melbourne is proud of what the boys did, especially coach Kevin McCarn.

“It would have been easy for them to continue with what they were doing or been goofing off, thinking no one was watching. So for those kids to take the time and be respectful, it’s something that makes me very proud,” says coach McCarn.

The boys say they will always honor the flag and national anthem, even if they can’t see the flag.

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