Religious Program Specialist 3rd Class Cody Schierding returned to his hometown of O' Fallon, Missouri, to speak to students of Frontier Middle School May 12 as part of the 2016 St. Louis Navy Week.

Among the students and faculty listening to his historical presentation about USS Constitution were his sister, grandmother and grandfather. Schierding's sister, Kierstyn, watched the presentation with curiosity and amusement, sporting a U.S. Navy t-shirt despite having already heard the information from her brother before.

"It was so informative; I was so impressed," said Schierding's grandmother, Sharon Schierding. "He did a wonderful job! I had seen pictures from Cody, [and] it is such a beautiful ship. The stories and battles are amazing."

Sharon watched the entire presentation, beaming from ear to ear while her only grandson interpreted Old Ironsides' robust history.

"Paw paw and I don't have internet so when I want to see him, we have to visit him when he's home," said Sharon.

"It was incredible to be back to see the school again," said Schierding. "History was my favorite subject in middle school, so to be back and give a history presentation was really cool."

Kurt Sinda, eighth-grade social studies teacher and liaison between Frontier Middle School and the Navy, remembered having Schierding in class.

"Having Cody come back here is just an absolute honor in the way that he serves his country is just beyond belief," said Sinda.

Students, faculty, and family members listened to the 45-minute interactive presentation before asking questions about Old Ironsides and the Navy.

Schierding graduated from Frontier Middle School in 2010.

Schierding and five crew members of USS Constitution took part in the St. Louis Navy Week, a week designated to raise Navy awareness in geographic areas which lack a Naval presence through school presentations, exhibits, community service, and Navy band concerts. The Sailors of USS Constitution are primarily visiting elementary, middle, and high schools in the greater St. Louis area as the week progresses.

USS Constitution, the world's oldest commissioned warship afloat, actively defended sea lanes against global threats from 1797-1855. Now a featured destination on Boston's Freedom Trail, Constitution and her crew of U.S. Navy Sailors offer community outreach and education about the ship's history and the importance of naval seapower to more than 500,000 visitors each year.

For more news and information on USS Constitution, visit http://www.history.navy.mil/ussconstitution/, http://www.facebook.com/ussconstitutionofficial/ and http://www.navy.mil/local/constitution/.

For more news from USS Constitution, visit http://www.navy.mil/.