ADAMS, Mass. — Members of the American Legion Post 125 visited St. Stanislaus School recently to show students how to properly fold a special flag that was flown over the Capitol.

 

"It is a special flag," student Abbey Little said at the June 10 presentation.

 

Abbey said she and some classmates had attended the funeral for Officer William "Billy" Evans in 2021.

 

Evans, a member of the U.S. Capitol Police, was killed on April 2, 2021, when a driver slammed his car into a checkpoint he was guarding at the Capitol. Evans was a Clarksburg native and attended local schools. His funeral was held at St. Stanislaus Church.

 

Abbey said one of the Capitol Police who attended the service approached the students.

 

"We were allowed to go down the street and watch," she said. "He came over to us and gave us stickers. We told him how the school was planning a trip to Washington, D.C."

 

Little said her parents stayed in touch with the officer, and they planned to meet up during the trip.

 

"He said he would find us and he did," she said. "He presented us with a flag to represent our school that flew over the Capitol." 

 

American Legion members Dennis St. Pierre and Thomas Lussier gathered a small crowd in the school playground to show how to properly fold an American flag.

 

Abbey gave a reading explaining what each fold represented as St. Pierre and Lussier folded the flag. 

 

Students Tim Kupiec and Andrew Meaney tried their hand at folding the flag, something they noted was more difficult than they anticipated.

 

"It was difficult," Andrew said.

 

"I knew how to do it before, but my mind blanked," Tim said.

 

St. Pierre noted it was important to hold the flag taut and said there was a specific order to the folding

 

He then showed the students how to present the folded flag with a proper grasp and salute. 

 

Teacher Angela Meaney said the flag will be displayed in the school with a certificate of authenticity.

 

"I think it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for them to witness, especially with the way they obtained the flag," she said.