A group of 30 middle schoolers got a chance to help out Wareham’s veterans Monday morning.

Teacher Jessica Andrews led the group of students in helping veterans pull flags from St. Patrick’s Cemetery and Centre Cemetery. Andrews has led middle schoolers in planting flags at veterans’ graves on Memorial Day for the last 12 years, but this is the first time she and students have helped veterans pull flags.

“It means a lot to me,” Andrews said. “We have never had a part on this end, with removing the flags … It was an honor to be asked.”

Andrews said she also felt the students got a lot out of it. Not only did they get to participate in community service, but it also gave them a “sense of ownership” in the town. Andrews said she also witnessed several students perform small, but meaningful acts of individual service.

“One student saw an older gentleman trying to pull out a flag with a pair of pliers, because the flags swell in their holders,” Andrews said. “He went right over to help him. … [The student] said to me, ‘It’s not fair that they have to do this themselves this time of year.’”

Eighth graders Juzari Salim and Tyler Santos said they both want participate in flag pulling again next year.

“I think we got a good experience of how we are supposed to honor our veterans,” Santos said. “Some kids don’t want to honor veterans. They want to stay home, and not help the community.“