Presentation made. Jeff Spiro, principal of Lehigh Senior High School, presents an exact replica of the large sign that hangs above the door into the school’s band room. Jennifer Amores, the widow of Marine Sgt. Jason Amores, was presented an exact replica of the sign on Nov. 4 in a brief ceremony. MEL TOADVINE

It was a joyous occasion on Friday night at 6 p.m. Dr. Joseph Burke, Lee County’s superintendent of schools, Lehigh Senior High School Principal Jeff Spiro, the school’s band leader, Jay Parales and the school board’s president, Tom Scott were all there.

A happy time because the band room at LSHS was being dedicated and named the Jason Amores Band Room in memory of Marine Sgt. Amores who was killed in Afghanistan this past January.

His wife, Jennifer and her two small children were on hand for the brief ceremony that drew about 40 people, including family member and old friends of Amores.

He played saxophone in the school’s Lightning Marching Band. After graduation from high school, he and his brother, Jeremiah left together for the Marine Corps and event spent basic training together.

Jeff Spiro, the school’s principal said Amore’s loves for his music and his dedication for the school’s band were outstanding.

Band Room named in Amores’ honor. Marine Sgt. Jason Amores, who was killed earlier this year in the war in Afghanistan, is being remembered with the naming of the Lehigh Senior High School bank room as the Jason Amores Band room. Here, his wife, Jennifer, stands in the short hallway leading to the band room.

“We hope one day in the future, someone will ask who Jason Amores was,” Spiro said.

A large colorful sign hangs above the door into the band room in the building behind the main school. King-sized color photographs hung on the walls surrounded by drums and other instruments in the band room. In many of the poster-sized photographs, Jason Amores appeared with a big broad smile with his fellow band members.

Even the county’s superintendent of schools found time to come to the dedication. Dr. Joseph Burke spoke briefly about how proud the school must be of Amores who was also dedicated to his country and paid for it with his life.

Jennifer was in the front row in the narrow hall that leads to the band room. With her were her two young children, Korbin, 9, and Violet, 2.

Jason and his wife grew up in Lehigh Acres and both attended Lehigh Senior High School.

Dr. Joseph Burke, superintendent of Lee County schools, spoke briefly at the ceremony naming the band room in honor of Sgt. Jason Amores. To his right is the sign above the door that was draped until the end of the ceremony.

“It’s really strange coming back here after all those years,” Jennifer said after the ceremony. He played sax and I was in the Color Guard,” she said proudly.

Immediately after the short ceremony, she tossed the coin for the start of the football game at the nearby stadium. Lehigh was playing Estero High School.

As a kid, Jason loved playing Little League baseball and playing ball all through high school. He played both tenor and baritone sax in the award winning Lehigh Senior High Lightning marching band.

Principal Spiro said Jason was called “Mowgli” in high school for running around with his long black hair and a smile. Many in the crowd, including his wife, laughed.

Jason grew up in a large family with five siblings, four sisters, two brothers.

As a squad leader in the Marines, Jason was known for his compelling drive to watch over his “men”. Spiro said it was what he did and he did it well both on and off the field of combat.

According to Lt. Col. Jason Morris, his battalion commander, who appeared at the Remembrance Day ceremonies on April 29 of this year, “Sgt. Amores was that true Marine hero who always ran to the sound of gunfire.”

“Jason sought to always protect his boys. that is what he did each and every day while deployed in Afghanistan. Such heroic and selfless acts compelled the United States government to posthumously award him the Bronze Star with Valor,” said Morris in April.

“It’s all so overwhelming,” is how his wife put it after the ceremony.