Norco, CA - On Wednesday morning, the Norco High School community gathered to dedicate Freedom Square, a permanent memorial honoring six Norco High School alumni who gave their lives while serving our country.

Located on the Norco High School campus, Freedom Square provides a lasting place for students, staff, families and community members to remember the six former Cougars and reflect on their service and sacrifice.

The memorial features a battlefield cross surrounded by U.S. and military flags, red, white and blue flowers, and engraved bricks. At its base, each of the six fallen Norco High School alumni are honored by name on an individual brick.

Freedom Square honors:

• SSG James R. Chappell, U.S. Army, Sept. 13, 2012
• Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, U.S. Marine Corps, Aug. 26, 2021
• Pfc. Garrett J. Bosket, U.S. Army, March 16, 2019
• Lance Cpl. Adam T. Hoage, U.S. Marine Corps, Feb. 23, 1991
• Lance Cpl. James C. Doerr, U.S. Marine Corps, Aug. 15, 1976
• Sgt. Ryan C. Young, U.S. Army, Dec. 2, 2003

The Aug. 26 dedication carried particular significance as it marked five years since the death of Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, a member of Norco High School’s Class of 2019 and a former member of the school’s Junior ROTC program. Nikoui was killed while serving in Kabul, Afghanistan.

During the ceremony, CNUSD Board of Education member Stacy Nicola reflected on her own deep ties to Norco High School and what the memorial represents for the community. Nicola is a Norco High School graduate, as are both of her children, and her father was a member of the school’s first graduating class in 1969.

“So when I look at Freedom Square, I don’t simply see a beautiful memorial,” Nicola said. “I see the story of Norco. I see a community that remembers its own.”

That connection between past and present was at the heart of Wednesday’s dedication. The six men remembered at Freedom Square were once Norco High School students themselves. They walked the same campus and classrooms as generations of Cougars who have followed them.

“What makes this memorial so meaningful is knowing that these six young men were once students here,” Superintendent Dr. Dalia Gadelmawla said. “They walked these halls, sat in these classrooms, and were Cougars, just like so many of the students here today. Their courage and service will always be part of Norco High School’s story.”

Freedom Square was made possible through private and community contributions and a partnership that brought together the City of Norco, veterans, community organizations, local leaders, residents and Norco High School.

Norco High School Principal Catherine Wallace said the memorial will ensure the stories of the six alumni continue to be shared with future generations.

“Freedom Square will serve as a lasting reminder of the courage, sacrifice, and service of our Norco alumni,” Wallace said. “May it always be a place where their names are remembered, their stories are honored, their families are recognized and future generations understand the price of the freedoms we enjoy.”

For CNUSD, Freedom Square is more than a new addition to the Norco High School campus. It is a permanent connection between the school’s history and the students who will walk its grounds for generations to come.

“To the families of our fallen alumni, please know that we remember your loved ones, we honor their service, and we are deeply grateful for their sacrifice,” Dr. Gadelmawla said. “They will always be part of the Norco High School family, and they will never be forgotten.”

Once a Cougar, always a Cougar. May we never forget.

Click the album below to view all photos from the event.