PORT BYRON -- Community members and educators are trying to make sure Port Byron students never forget two alumni who were killed recently during military service.

Memorial plaques will be placed on Dana West High School campus in honor of former students Jerome C. Bell Jr. and Patrick A. Devoe II. And the school will annually recognize courageous students by giving an award bearing the two servicemen's names.

During an awards ceremony Friday in front of junior and senior high students in the school auditorium, representatives from Veterans of Foreign Wars presented the memorial plaques to the school and gave special recognition to the families of Devoe and Bell.

School officials also recognized the men posthumously with the school's Courage Award before announcing the award will now be named for the two of them.

Bell, a Marine who was killed Sept. 19 in Afghanistan, graduated in 1997. Devoe graduated in 2000, and was killed in March during his first tour with the Army in Afghanistan.

In an emotional ceremony, teachers and family members spoke of the men's sacrifices. Angie Hargreaves, a Dana West High teacher, shared her memories of teaching the men and members of their families.

"They were both men in the truest sense," Hargreaves said. "But when you teach, boys will always be boys, and girls will always be girls."

Port Byron students gave Bell, Devoe and their families multiple standing ovations through the assembly. A slide show presented images of the men and their memorials.

Michael Brewster recited an original poem, titled "Fallen Panthers," written for them.

"We forever mourn. ... We'll bear these deep scars," he read.

Dan Kimler, who is post commander for Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8137 in Montezuma, presented the school with the plaques.

It is not necessarily a tradition for the VFW to do this, Kimler said, but the organization wanted to make a special gesture in this case.

"We decided to do it here because this hits close to home," Kimler said.

Hargreaves said the school has not yet decided where to place the VFW memorials on campus. They will not be the only memorials, however. There are also plaques placed at the school's entrance of the school to signify every former student who died in battle, Hargreaves said.

But events and mementos such as these are important to help students appreciate what they have, she said.

"War is so far-removed from a place like Port Byron until something like this happens," Hargreaves said.