While cleaning out a storage closet at the school, Granite Park Jr. High principal Danny Stirland noticed a peculiar slab of bronze buried among the medley.

When he realized what it was, he knew it needed a much more prominent home at the school.

As it turned out, this dusty slab of bronze was created more than 70 years ago to honor former students of Granite Junior High School who were killed in World War II. Once the plaque was take out of storage, Granite Park staff combed through old yearbooks to try to find photos to match the names on the plaque.

“We thought we needed to put the pictures up there with it,” Stirland said. “It puts a face to each name.”

As the photos were gathered, Granite Park career and technical education teacher Tom Raty created a wooden mount for the plaque and portraits. The plaque text reads:

“Yes, they have died; but their spirit lives on as an ever immortal symbol of love, freedom, and equality. They fought and gave their life for every thing we love and humbly pray for. Yet, in memory, their carefree voices, their rushing footsteps, and their every tangible emotion lives with all those that knew and loved them.”

“It is truly amazing; we’re so glad to have it here,” Stirland said.

Granite Junior High School was originally housed in the Granite High School building. In 1950 the district built Central Junior High, and in 1962 Granite Park Junior High was built at the site of what is now Lincoln Elementary. In 2001 Granite Park Junior High was moved to the former Central Junior High location.