Eleven-year-old Kasper Latawiec of Boy Scout Troop 40 salutes the flag during a Veterans Day observance Friday at Cooper Middle School. | Brian O'Mahoney~for Sun-Times Media

Pennoyer School third-grader Rolando Nieto waves an American flag during a Veterans Day ceremony at the Norridge school Nov. 9. | Curtis Lehmkuhl~Sun-Times Media

Eighth-grader Harrison Park plays Taps during a Veterans Day observance Friday at Cooper Middle School in Buffalo Grove. | Brian O'Mahoney~for Sun-Times Media

Veterans were honored with a breakfast Friday at Hawthorn Middle School South in Vernon Hills. | Dan Luedert~Sun-Times Media

The Hawthorn Middle School South chorus sings and entertains veterans as the school honored local veterans with a breakfast Friday. | Dan Luedert~Sun-Times Media

The Lincolnwood Police Honor Guard display the colors at the start of the Veterans Day assembly at Rutledge Hall on Friday, Nov. 9, 2012. | Michael Jarecki ~ for Sun-Times Media

Roger Kight holds his grandson Anthony James Kolar, 4, during the Oakbrook Terrace Park District's Veterans Garden Ceremony. | James C. Svehla~for Sun-Times Media

Army veteran Bob Swager talks with his grandson Preston Swager at a veterans breakfast at Hawthorn Middle School South on Friday, Nov. 9, 2012. | Dan Luedert~Sun-Times Media

Don Carter salutes as the chorus sings the national anthem at a veterans breakfast at Hawthorn Middle School South on Friday. | Dan Luedert~Sun-Times Media

Harry Swanson salutes as the chorus sings the national anthem as Hawthorn Middle School South honors veterans with a breakfast Friday. | Dan Luedert~Sun-Times Media

Volunteer Julie Turrel of Lincolnwood helps put on Edward Soifer's Purple Heart medal before the start of the Veterans Day assembly at Rutledge Hall on Friday, Nov. 9, 2012. | Michael Jarecki ~ for Sun-Times Media

Principal Jean Weiss holds a microphone near a stuffed "singing hamster" that Navy veteran Betty Brandwein (left) of Lincolnwood brought to show students during the Veterans Day assembly at Rutledge Hall on Friday, Nov. 9, 2012.

Elementary school students sing "Tthe Star-Spangled Banner" at the start of the Veterans Day assembly at Rutledge Hall in Lincolnwood on Friday, Nov. 9, 2012.

Seventh-grader Delaney Libit sings with the choir during a Veterans Day observance at Cooper Middle School in Buffalo Grove on Friday. | Brian O'Mahoney~for Sun-Times Media

Army veteran Alfredo Caballero, a Buffalo Grove firefighter/paramedic, was the keynote speaker during a Veterans Day observance at Cooper Middle School in Buffalo Grove on Friday. | Brian O'Mahoney~for Sun-Times Media

World War II veteran Martin Schwartz and other veterans received a standing ovation during a Veterans Day observance at Cooper Middle School in Buffalo Grove on Friday. | Brian O'Mahoney~for Sun-Times Media

Abhay Ram offers coffee to veterans during a breakfast at Hawthorn Middle School South on Friday. | Dan Luedert~Sun-Times Media

Ruthledge Hall fifth-graders Richard Rodriguez and Areni Artinian read a poem during a Veterans Day assembly in Lincolnwood on Friday, Nov. 9, 2012. | Michael Jarecki ~ for Sun-Times Media

Oakbrook Terrace Park District hosted a Veterans Garden Ceremony to honor local veterans. | James C. Svehla~for Sun-Times Media

Residents and village employees recite the Pledge of Allegiance. | James C. Svehla~for Sun-Times Media

Paul Tilton of the Elmhurst American Legion Post 187 salutes. | James C. Svehla~for Sun-Times Media

Veterans Harry Lepinske and Fred Rodriguez attended a veterans luncheon at the Western Springs Community Center on Friday, Nov. 9, 2012. | Jon Langham~for Sun-Times Media

Veterans from Hinsdale American Legion Post 250 listen to speeches about Veterans Day during an assembly at Hinsdale Central High School on Friday, Nov. 9, 2012. | Jon Langham~for Sun-Times Media

George Hogrewe, who served as a U.S. Navy radioman during World War II, recites the war poem "In Flanders Fields" during an assemblyfor Veterans Day at Hinsdale Central High School on Friday. | Jon Langham~for Sun-Times Media

Pennoyer School kindergartner Nicholas Gattone holds his thank-you card and an American flag before the start of a Veterans Day ceremony at the Norridge school on Nov. 9. | Curtis Lehmkuhl~Sun-Times Media