Classroom Service Project

This past year, I had an overwhelming desire to help my students learn to give back. After watching an award show on television for charities, I was inspired to have my students send care packages over seas to men and women in our Armed Forces.

In early December, I sent a note home to families asking them to look around their house for key items I  found on AnySoldier.com that had been requested by members of our Armed Forces. The families in my classroom overwhelmed me with their compassion and the number of donations that came rolling through our classroom door! Along with donated items, we added a handcrafted set of holiday lights we made with construction paper, glue, and glitter that spelled out PEACE. Inside the boxes, we also included cards from the students, and a card with a class picture and our return address.

In total we sent 4 care packages to 4 different locations. I suggest uses the prepay boxes at the post office, because then you can fill them completely and not have to worry about the weight. I also suggest looking at AnySoldier.com to help pick your packages' destinations. If gives you a list of men and women who have requested care packages, AND shows you which of them have barely received any packages. Those are the addresses that I request! We sent our boxes to two destinations in Afghanistan, and two destinations in Kuwait.

Months later, I received a thick envelope from one of the destinations in Kuwait. They had sent us Thank You cards, personalized letters to the students whose cards they received, and photographs of themselves including one with the PEACE lights. The students were SO excited! What a great experience this was for all of us!