There is always a moment during the educational process that turns into a memory that will last forever. One man’s journey to Africa with the U.S. Army Reserve, turned into an excellent educational opportunity.
When Operation Iraqi Freedom got underway last year, Tyrone first grade teacher Sue Friday and her aide Judy Smith were deeply effected. Smith’s son John was deployed to Africa as part of the mission. He just happens to be the best friend of Friday’s son Alan and a former student of Friday’s.
Friday had the idea to help ease her students’ minds about going to war was that the kids would write letters to John.
“The kids were so excited to be a part of this project,” said Friday. “We would take some time and each student wrote five letters along with illustrations to send to their new friend who was serving his country.”
Once Smith would receive the letters from the first grade class, he would respond via e-mail to Friday who shared with her students.
“It turned into an excellent educational tool,” said Friday. “It gave the kids an excellent purpose to write compositions and learn to write letters to other people.”
As the school year went on, there was a “Red, White and Blue Day” that the students participated in. They all dressed in patriotic colors for a day, decorated the classroom and took a photo that they had made into an 8X10 to send to Smith.
Not only did the kids have a pen pal who was serving his country, but the students wanted to learn about patriotism.
“The kids really got into it,” said Friday. “They wanted to learn patriotic songs. We brought in children’s books to help them learn ‘God Bless America’, ‘America the Beautiful’, and ‘America’.”
The class even sent Smith a care package.
“I am so thankful for the generosity of the parents last year,” said Friday. “The care package that we sent had to be nearly 15 pounds. We sent pens, Life Savers, nuts, toiletries, bug repellent and sun block among other things. The kids and parents all got involved in the care package project.”
The contact with Smith continued until the end of the school year in May.
On Tuesday, Friday gathered last year’s class together for a special surprise. The class finally had the opportunity to meet their pen pal as Smith visited the Tyrone Elementary School.
“He came in his uniform (Desert Camouflage Uniform) and when the kids came into the room, they just beamed,” said Friday. “Some kids shook his hand, some stood beside him and others had to hug him. It was a special welcome.”
Smith talked to the kids for nearly a half-hour about what his duties and responsibilities were while he served in Africa, where he lived and what he ate.
“He told us that he looked forward to every letter that he received from the kids,” said Friday. “He shared the letters with his buddies and I know they helped take away some of the homesickness that he had to have had being stationed so far away.
“The kids were enthralled with his talk,” Friday continued. “They asked pertinent questions and learned about what it is like to be a soldier.”
What started out as trying to ease the minds of children as our nation entered a way turned into something very special.
“We looked at this as a beneficial educational opportunity,” said Friday. “What it turned into went above and beyond anything I ever expected it to.”
On Tuesday, each student had their picture taken with Smith and for many, it will turn into the educational moment that they will never forget.
