By: Mary Beth Almond | Rochester Post | Published November 21, 2025
ROCHESTER — On Nov. 11, a day to honor and remember those who have served our country, Rochester High School introduced its new Veterans Wall of Honor.
Over the past year, Rochester High School senior Audrey Henckel worked with building administrators and many others in the community to create the display, which recognizes RHS alumni and faculty who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.
“I’m very proud of the project and I’m very thankful for my supportive community,” Henckel said at the unveiling. “I see a lot of my teachers here today and I’m so grateful that I have their support. I think it looks very impressive and I’m so glad it turned out so well.”
Henckel’s project earned her a Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest achievement within the Girl Scouts of America.
“It’s such a unique accomplishment. Only 3,000 girls in the U.S. get the Gold Award, so it really sets me apart,” she said.
To earn the award, Girl Scouts must dedicate a minimum of 80 hours to complete their project, including identifying an issue, investigating it thoroughly, building a team, creating and presenting a plan, gathering feedback, taking action, and educating and inspiring others.
Henckel’s Gold Award mentor, Patricia Markiecki, said the teen has “worked really hard.”
“This is more than I envisioned,” Markiecki said of the Wall of Honor. “She has done a fabulous job.”
Rochester Community Schools celebrates Veterans Day each year with special events across the district, including putting flags outside the schools, hosting veterans breakfasts, participating in local parades and more.
“Those events always make me proud to be a member of this community, and I’m deeply proud of the veterans in our area,” RHS Principal Josh Wrinkle said. “I’m especially proud that we celebrate this Veterans Day by putting in place a permanent fixture of those veterans celebrations in Rochester High. Military service is a special part of our 142-year history of this school, and this wall is a special honor of those who paid that ultimate commitment to their country.”
The Wall of Honor is located in the walkway above the media center, and RCS Deputy Superintendent Neil DeLuca said the area is a central hub of the high school.
“This Wall of Honor pays tribute to Rochester High School veterans and also serves to help educate future generations of the value of their service,” he said.
Joshua Beukema, assistant principal of Rochester High School and a U.S. Army National Guard veteran, said the tribute represents an appreciation for the impact RHS graduates and staff have had throughout history in protecting liberties.
“Getting to work with Audrey on this project was one of the proudest moments of my career thus far,” Beukema said at the unveiling. “Not only was it an extremely rewarding effort, it allowed me to learn more about the people who make up our great Falcon family and their tremendous dedication to our country.”
The research took nearly a year to complete and Henckel says she anticipates adding additional names to the over 350 currently on the wall as the word spreads.
“We had old yearbooks from the 1940s that had names of the World War II veterans, so we started collecting names from that,” she shared. “I keep getting more input and more submissions, so it’s an ongoing, growing list.”
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, an Eagle Scout and an RHS alumnus who attended the unveiling, is featured on the Wall of Honor to recognize his service in the U.S. Navy Reserve.
“Every name on this wall tells the story of someone who bravely answered the call to protect our democracy and our American way of life,” Peters said. “It is an honor for me to be recognized alongside my father and the countless courageous men and women who have helped defend our nation. This new Wall of Honor will ensure that future generations of Rochester High School students remember the heroic service and sacrifices made by members of their own community.”
Peters’ father, Herb Peters, is recognized on the wall for his service as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army in France during World War II, following the invasion of Normandy. Peters’ father also graduated from RHS and was a teacher at Rochester Community Schools for more than 30 years.
Another name on the wall is retired RHS teacher and coach Hal Commerson, who helped to fund the project and assisted in gathering many of the names on the monument. Commerson served in the Marine Corps from 1968-1970 and Vietnam in 1969.
“It’s fantastic that it’s in this hallway, because kids go by this every day — it’s a great space for it,” he said of the project.
For more information, call the school at (248) 726-5400.