When Earl L. Vandermeulen High School students walked into their Fossils and Findings class, instead of learning about fossil formations, their time periods and how their various adaptations made them suitable for their environments, they were treated to a Veterans Day presentation.

Teacher Joseph Iuliucci, dressed in his military uniform, gave a historic account of his more than 22-year military timeline, from serving in the U.S. Army from 1987-1991, joining the Army National Guard for the next two years, followed by three years in the Air National Guard before a break in service to be with his family. He returned to the Air National Guard in 2000 and served in the Air Force and Air National Guard until his retirement in 2022. His slideshow presentation featured photo highlights of his career. The students asked him questions about his military service medal and travels, which included Belgium, Bulgaria, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and Iceland.