Schools

Hamden Hall Students Send Love to Afghanistan

Hamden Hall students are beginning to craft and create Valentine cards and messages for troops overseas.



Nothing says “I care” more than a homemade Valentine, and Hamden Hall students will ensure that soldiers deployed in Afghanistan — one of whom is a former Hornet — will know they are cared for and appreciated back home. 

A January community service project hatched in the Lower School has transformed into a school-wide initiative as students of all ages are beginning to craft and create Valentine cards and messages for troops overseas.

The idea began with Lower School Acting Director Lorri Carroll's discovery of Hugs for Soldiers, a program “dedicated to offering comforts from home and brightening a Soldier’s day with a care package, card or letter of encouragement,” according to its website. 

From there it took on a life of its own – including the decision to earmark Hamden Hall’s cards and letters to Hamden Hall alumnus Matthew Peterson, who graduated in 2003 and is currently a captain in the U.S. Army. Matthew was deployed in early January to Afghanistan for eight months – his second tour in that country. He was also deployed to Iraq for one year.

His mom, Cookie Peterson, is a former second-grade teacher at Hamden Hall who retired in June 2010 after 17 years. Many Hamden Hall faculty continue to keep in touch with Cookie, including Sue Bennett and Sandi Cunningham (with whom Cookie taught second grade for 11 years), who are helping coordinate the Hugs for Soldiers initiative.

“We are going to bring a smile to the faces of our soldiers in Afghanistan,” Mrs. Bennett told her second-grade art class. “You’re going to design a valentine today and it will go overseas.”

To add another level to the assignment, Mrs. Bennett showed a slideshow from a similar project Hamden Hall third-graders undertook four years ago. On a large screen Mar. Bennett displayed photos of soldiers holding their handmade Hamden Hall valentines. Several photos were of Capt. Peterson who proudly displayed his keepsake.

“That’s Matthew,” Mrs. Bennett eagerly pointed out to her students. “He was my former student and he sat right in this art room in second grade just like you.”

Now thousands of miles away from his former classroom and teachers, Matthew nonetheless is excited to learn about the forthcoming correspondence he’ll be receiving from his Hamden Hall family.

“It's always great to receive a little something from home. Especially from students, who may not fully understand why we're over here, but who continually support us no matter the cause. Truly, a lesson learned for our young future leaders,” wrote Matthew in an email.

And so the handiwork begins! Second-grader Simone Johnson was excited to start the obligatory cutting and pasting to create her valentine card. Pink and red construction paper with heart cutouts were strewn around her workstation.

“I like this project because it helps homesick soldiers because some may not have a chance to make them for each other or send them to their family,” she said.

Classmate Ethan Berman noted that the soldiers “deserve” special cards “because they work for our country.”

All Lower School students will create valentine cards – sans glitter as stipulated per the Hugs organization – during art class this month. Librarian Kathy McNeiece also suggested setting up a station in the library so that Middle and Upper School students can create their own masterpieces.


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