It was a challenging task. After three days of learning about journalism and even participating in a “press conference”, the Fifth Graders at Seitz Elementary in Fort Riley, KS, were asked to write a news story themselves. The topic: The person their school is named after, General Richard J. Seitz. They did a great job, remembering to use quotes from the press conference with the general’s son Rick and his nephew John, to pay attention to the details and to start with a “hook”.

Here is the first collection of some of their reports, some complete, some only with a few sentences; more to come. (For privacy reasons, the students’ names are not published.)

Did you know that General Seitz was in the Army for 35 years?

Richard J. Seitz, July 1945 Battalion Commander 2nd BN 517

General Seitz was a kindhearted man. When General Seitz saw the school he thought it was amazing and very neat. General Seitz was 18^th Airborne Corps Commander. General Seitz was born February 18, 1918. The reason they built Seitz Elementary because General Seitz thought that education was very important to us for kids in school like us. He also says that life can teach you a lot all around you… But sadly on June 8^th, 2013 he passed away.

General Seitz went all around the world to Germany, Italy, Japan and Vietnam. He was born in Leavenworth, KS. General Seitz was only 22 years old when he joined the military. General Seitz loved to play tennis, golf. He also loved badminton in his free time when he wasn’t working. General Seitz was also in World War II. General Seitz lived in Junction City for 38 years. His most favorite season was football season. Also General Seitz loved to jump out of airplanes.

“Planes were new to them so there weren’t  lots of people who had the guts to jump out of them.”

General Seitz was very polite. He always called everybody “sir” no matter who it was. Rick Seitz said that he always had a sense of humor in him. John Seitz said he was in the military with General Seitz. When Seitz Elementary was built it took a year to build the school. “Although General Seitz didn’t help build the school, he always peeked and checked on them a lot”, said Rick Seitz. The reason why our mascot is the dragon is because his 18^th Airborne Corps patch was the dragon when he was in the Army. Continue reading →

More reports written by the young journalists of Seitz Elementary. (For privacy reasons, the students’ names are not published.)

Great General Seitz

General Richard J. Seitz died June 8^th, 2013, and now his son, Rick Seitz, and his nephew, John Seitz, have come to their father’s/uncle’s school to talk to the fifth grade students about the strict and caring man. Rick and John Seitz answered every question the fifth graders asked. Some of their answers were funny and silly while the others were unusual. General Seitz was what they said a prankster. General Seitz loved many things; he loved the Army, jumping out of planes, sports, such as baseball, badminton, golf, and tennis. He loved the people in the Army in general. General Seitz had 3 dogs, a pug, a collie, and a big black shepherd dog. These all are things that he loved and the best part is that that’s not even half of all of it. Everyone that knew General Seitz said that he was a good guy. In the end Rick and John Seitz came to every 5^th grade classroom and said: “General Seitz had a tradition that every time he came to this school he would give all the teachers a box of chocolates.” General Seitz was one of the greatest men one Earth.

Rick (left) and John Seitz

General Seitz

Why do you think this school is this way? Well, the one big reason is Richard J. Seitz. He is also known as General Seitz. General Seitz was born in 1918, at the end of WWI. He was 23 when he joined, 1940, because it was the beginning of WWII. After the war, General Seitz wanted to leave the Army, but thanks to his dad, he stayed in the Army. He was in the Army for 35 years and retired in 1975. “I am very proud of this school”, Rick Seitz said. Sadly, General Seitz died June 8^th, 2013. Rick Seitz, his son, and John Seitz, his nephew, still carry on the tradition of bringing chocolate for the teachers. Continue reading →

More reports written by the young journalists of Seitz Elementary. (For privacy reasons, the students’ names are not published.)

Have you ever wondered how Seitz got its name or why the symbol is a dragon? Keep on reading to find out!

General Seitz was a Lieutenant General in the Army. His paratrooper team was the 517th. General Seitz was born in February 18, 1918, in Kansas. He had 3 brothers and 4 sisters in the family. General Seitz joined the Army when he was 23. When he was in the Army, he was a paratrooper which meant he jumped out of planes. In 1975 he retired as a Lieutenant General. When he retired he started doing a lot of volunteer work, he was also one of the people who convinced the army to build the school.

When the school board found out how much General Seitz loved to help kids, they decided he was a good role model so they named the school after him. When the school board thought about a mascot they thought of the dragon on General Seitz’ patch and decided on a dragon. Continue reading →