BY ALICIA DORSET
Clarkston News Staff Writer
It isn’t every day that a language arts assignment doubles as a way to boost morale for soldiers serving overseas.
Seventh graders at Clarkston Middle School were given the assignment to write a letter to a soldier serving in Iraq. Instead, they created a wealth of support, needed items and whoopee cushions.
Well, maybe just one whoopee cushion.
‘I’m sure they’ll be trying to pull a good joke on a sergeant,? Chris Thomas said in reference to the joke item that was included in a recent care package. Chris visited with the students on March 15 to thank them for all of their hard work and support.
The idea started when Kim Proctor-Smith learned that coworkers Chris and wife Julie Thomas? son, Spc. Evan Thomas, was leaving for Iraq last year. She wanted to think of a way to not only boost Evan’s morale, but to inform students of what was happening in Iraq.
‘I first learned about Evan going and I wanted to get the schools involved. I just really wanted to do something,? Proctor-Smith said. ‘It boosts them.?
Chris and Julie came to thank the seventh graders for all of the effort they had put forth to create care packages for Evan and his platoon in Baghdad. Chris brought pictures of Evan for the students to keep as well as letting the students try on some of his old camouflage gear.
‘What these kids did was wonderful,? Julie said.
A highlight of the presentation was opening a ‘meal-ready-to-eat?, or MRE, and seeing what soldiers eat while in combat. That day’s choices included grilled chicken, apple spread and a fudge brownie.
‘Thanks for all the letters, they’re trying to write back,? Chris said to the students.
The students created almost 80 letters, poems and joke books for the soldiers to read in Iraq. They also provided everyday items that are scarce when fighting, such as toothpaste and other toiletries.
‘I sent some good candy because they don’t have very good food,? Brittany Elia, CMS seventh grader, said of her choice.
For fellow student Alec Pappas, his care package item came from his own home.
‘I sent some of my little sister’s moist towelettes,? Pappas said. ‘That way they can help them if they get all sweaty.?
‘I sent toothpaste and soap,? Aaron Wolfe, seventh grader, said. ‘They’re probably all dirty.?
The seventh graders responded overwhelmingly to the request for donations.
‘The kids had a lot of fun and really got into it,? Proctor-Smith said. ‘I have a Suburban and it was literally packed from all the stuff they collected.?
Writing to Evan and his fellow soldiers not only boosted their spirits in Iraq, but allowed the students to learn more about what was going with current events.
‘The kids had a lot of questions about what is going on over there,? Proctor-Smith said.
The CMS students haven’t been the only ones sending Evan support from Clarkston. Chase Plastic Services ‘adopted? Evan and new-wife Tricia and provided needed. A new backpack was sent to him courtesy of the company.
‘There’s been a great deal of community support for Evan and Tricia,? Chris said. ‘This is really great for all the guys.?
The students has the option to keep writing to the soldiers now that the formal assignment is over.
‘This all works out really nice,? Proctor-Smith said. ‘Anything to keep morale up. Sometimes you don’t realize what you have.?