Two former classmates from Alexandria marched in the 2022 edition of the Annual Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade in Honolulu last month.
For Daniela “Dani” Salinas, a varsity cheerleader and junior at Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington and a parishioner of Blessed Sacrament Church in Alexandria, the parade was both an opportunity and a challenge.
“I was eager to push myself to do this, to learn the choreography and be a part of something much larger than just my school team,” she explained. “It felt important, to want to come together as a cohesive unit of almost 800 people, acting as one to pay tribute to such an important part of U.S. history.”
As an “All-American” cheerleader, a competitive distinction that enables those with the title to represent their schools at special events around the country, Dani was eligible to participate.
Held each year Dec. 7, the date of the 1941 attack, the Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade defines its mission as “to honor and pay respect to the Pearl Harbor survivors, our veterans, active duty military, and their families.”
Sara Fenimore shared her friend Dani’s excitement at the prospect of a journey to Hawaii. The two were classmates at Blessed Sacrament School in Alexandria, where Sara’s mother Michele still teaches. “Growing up in the Catholic faith and attending Catholic schools I have always been connected to my faith,” Sara noted.
A Blessed Sacrament Church parishioner and a junior in the Cadet Corps Leadership Program at St. John’s College High School in Washington, Sara also serves as the Color Guard Executive Officer. “I was chosen by our instructors and our band director to present the colors with our school’s Regimental Band during the Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade and at the USS Missouri,” she said. “I wanted to go to further my understanding of the importance of Pearl Harbor and learn more about Hawaiian history and culture.”
“Every time I looked at the sea, palm trees, or sunrise, I thought about how amazing God’s creation is,” Dani said, “and how we need to treasure the environment, the only one we have.” Sara likewise found the Hawaiian vistas inspiring. “Being able to see the beauty of our surroundings that God created for us made me realize how blessed I have been to have this opportunity.”
But an equally strong impression was made by the history that surrounded them.
“Before this opportunity my understanding of Pearl Harbor was based on textbooks and books that I have read,” Sara said. “Being able to experience the physical monuments and battleships that were there during the attack gave a new perspective of the soldiers who fought there. The brave Americans who stood in the face of danger to protect their home and country shows the immense pride and patriotism that people had for our nation.”
Military service runs on both sides of her family, Dani explained. Her paternal grandfather, Chief Petty Officer Dannie Salinas, after whom she’s named, served in the U.S. Navy for 20 years. “He is one of the thousands of Filipinos who faced racial discrimination while rising through the ranks as an enlisted serviceman,” she said. Dani’s maternal grandfather, Frank Costanzo, “served in the U.S. Air Force’s Flying Tigers and was stationed in Okinawa during the Vietnam War,” she added. Costanzo’s niece, Vicki Yancey, a former naval electronics technician, was killed when American Airlines Flight 77 struck the Pentagon Sept. 11, 2001.
“I’m proud that she was able to have this experience,” Dani’s mother, Taryn Salinas, said. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I think she gained a lot from it — the experience of working together toward a larger goal, honing leadership, and seeing a key part of history brought to life.”
Sara’s mother agreed. “We are very proud and so happy for Sara that her hard work has led her to amazing opportunities such as the trip to Hawaii. It was great to hear that Dani, her friend and classmate from Blessed Sacrament, also made the trip. This trip will be a great memory for Sara and Dani for years to come,” said Michele Fenimore.
Their journey was equal parts hard work and new adventures, but ultimately, the purpose was a solemn one.
“I always kept in mind that we were there to honor our World War II veterans,” Dani said. “Service, respect, and the sanctity of life are core Catholic values of mine. In my small way, I was showing respect for their sacrifices.”
Heatherington is a freelancer in Alexandria.
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