7th grader finds out his great-grandfather was a Marine at Ascension Catholic School's Veterans Wall

A 7th grader at Ascension Catholic School in north Minneapolis learned his great-grandfather was a Marine who served in the Vietnam War after finding his photo on the school's Veterans Wall.

Noah, whose great-grandfather is Frank Nelson, said he had no idea.

"I actually didn't know that he was a veteran and I thought we just had a boring family," Noah said.

When his mother told him about the service, Noah said his reaction was, "Whoa, that's amazing."

Assistant Principal Etosha Kemp started the Veterans Wall three years ago so students could see that their families served. It includes relatives who are still in the military, who have retired and who have died. Kemp said it shows families that "all colors and all ethnicities served." Classes visit the wall like a field trip, and students share who is pictured and what that person means to them.

Sixth grade teacher Justin Williamson served five years in the Navy. It said it gave him "a lot of the structure that I needed, a lot of the discipline I needed, a lot of the friendships that I needed." He tells his students those five years are when he became the man he is now.

"I don't want to be someone's boss; I want to be someone's leader," Williamson said.

He said teachers at the school share that idea, because "if they don't see it, then they'll never learn it."

Principal Benito Matias said reading, writing and math are important, but the school also wants to help students grow into good citizens. He said he wants them to understand that military service is not "so far removed from us that it doesn't impact our daily lives."

Students also made Veterans Day cards that were delivered to a VA hospital.

Noah is now thinking about serving someday.

"I really want to do it," he said, "but I know it comes with a lot of stuff so I'm just wondering like what I have to do for that."