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    Mississippi Guardsmen become pen pals with hometown grade-schoolers

    Mississippi Guardsmen Become Pen Pals With Hometown Grade-schoolers

    Photo By Capt. Murray Shugars | "Flat Stanley," a paper doll used in a pen-pal program, propped at the edge of an...... read more read more

    QAYYARAH, IRAQ

    01.18.2010

    Story by Capt. Murray Shugars 

    15th Sustainment Brigade

    CONTINGENCY OPERATING LOCATION Q-WEST, Iraq — Mississippi Army National Guardsmen at Contingency Operating Location Q-West participated in a unique pen-pal activity with hometown elementary school kids in December and January.

    Soldiers with A Company, 2nd Battalion, 198th Combined Arms, 155th Brigade Combat Team, the Q-West force protection company from Hernando, Miss., participated in the Flat Stanley Project with second- and third-graders in Cheryl Hays' Discovery class at Mooreville Elementary School, Mooreville, Miss.

    An international literacy and community-building activity, students make a paper cutout of Flat Stanley and write a journal about him, then mail these to recipients who treat Flat Stanley as a guest and complete the journal, returning Flat Stanley and the journal to the original senders, according to the official Flat Stanley Project Web site (http://www.flatstanley.com/how.html).

    In its 15th year, Canadian teacher Dale Hubert created the project, basing it on Flat Stanley, a 1964 children's book by Jeff Brown and illustrated by Tomi Ungerer, a picture book that tells about a boy flattened by a toppling bulletin board who mails himself in envelopes to distant places, according to a Wikipedia article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Stanley).

    The Flat Stanley Project is an excellent learning tool, said Hays, a Lee County resident. During the activity, children learn more about careers, geography, foreign languages and other cultures and practice a number of skills, such as reading, writing, researching, communicating, thinking creatively and solving math problems, said Hays.

    "As an ongoing project, my second and third grade Discovery students, a gifted education class, continue Stanley's adventures," Hays wrote in email, Jan. 14. "Students create their own Flat Stanley, giving him a unique identity as seen through the eyes of a 7- to 9-year-old. We send him through the mail to places all around the world, where friends and family members take him on trips."

    Hays said that in previous years her students have sent the paper doll throughout the U.S. and the world, including France, China and Japan. This year, the class had discussed the war in Iraq, and the students brainstormed ideas for what they might do to help, said Hays. Because one student, Harley Hamblin, had a father deployed to Iraq with the Mississippi Army National Guard, they decided to send holiday supplies to hometown Soldiers, she said.

    "Every year, during the Christmas season, our Discovery students participate in a project designed to teach children to help others," said Hays. "We call it our Enhancing Lives Forever, or ELF, Project."

    The students sent 12 care packages to Sgt. James J. Hamblin, a machine gunner with A Company, 2/198th CAB, whose son attends Hays' class.

    "My son Harley's class sent packages and Christmas cards and postcards they made, along with Flat Stanley and a note asking me to show him around and send him back with letters about his visit," said Hamblin, a Tupelo, Miss., native.

    Hamblin said he distributed the care packages throughout his company and solicited the help of his fellow Soldiers with the Flat Stanley pen pal activity.

    "I want to try to help the kids understand what we're doing over here, what life is like for Soldiers," said Hamblin. "I want my son to know I'm well, that all the guys here are doing well. We're over here now so hopefully our kids won't ever have to be over here when they grow up."

    Spc. Philip A. Pigford, an A Company gunner from Memphis, Tenn., posed for pictures with the Flat Stanley paper doll.

    "This is a great idea," said Pigford. "It's a great way to tell the kids about what we're doing over here, and it's nice to know they are thinking about us."

    Spc. Lorence K. Strange, a gun truck driver from New Albany, Miss., posed with Flat Stanley and wrote a letter back to the children.

    "This was a fun thing to do," said Strange. "I wanted to thank the kids for sending the packages and for wanting to know about our lives over here. I've got three kids myself, two girls and a boy, and another on the way. I would love for my kids to do this Flat Stanley pen-pal activity. To send a paper doll all the way to Iraq and have it travel around the country, even on missions, that's pretty cool."

    Spc. Daniel S. Moore, a gunner from Horn Lake, Miss., hoped his own children would have the chance to participate in a similar project when they are older.

    "It's a pretty cool way to teach kids by getting feedback from us, giving them a bigger picture of the world," said Moore. "We want them to know that we're doing all we can for them, over here and when we get home. I have two toddler daughters myself, and I can see my daughters doing pen pals with Flat Stanley."

    Cpl. Justin R. Strickland, a truck commander from Southaven, Miss., said the project lifted his morale.

    "I thought it was great," said Strickland. "It showed us the people at home still care, especially to get cards and letters from the kids. It's good to know that they know what's going on, that we're over here."

    Hays emailed messages from her class, which Hamblin answered. One student, third-grader Kayla Buse, wanted to know if the Soldiers gave Stanley an M4.

    "No, Kayla, Stanley did not get a weapon," said Hamblin. "Stanley would have to go through the proper training before we could issue him a weapon, but we did show him the weapons we carry to protect the force."

    Another student, second-grader Joe Ray, asked if Stanley had seen any Army equipment.

    "Has Flat Stanley looked at the machinery? Hey, Flat Stanley, I can't wait to see you and the pictures," he said.

    Hamblin said that the Soldiers of A Company took Flat Stanley along with them during a Dec. 30 mission to the Al-Qyarrah pump station, the Tigris River source of water supplying Contingency Operating Location Q-West.

    "Flat Stanley rode in our gun trucks during the mission," said Hamblin. "He even helped inspect the engine of one."

    All of the students thanked the Mississippi Guardsmen for their service and told them to take care. Several students were also concerned for Flat Stanley's safety, including Lauren Elliot.

    "Soldiers, do you like my Flat Stanley?" said the second-grader. "Can you please keep Flat Stanley safe for me? I bet your family misses you!"

    Hamblin said that he and his fellow Soldiers were keeping Flat Stanley very safe.

    "You don't have to worry about Flat Stanley's safety," said Hamblin. "We are the force protection company for our base. Our job is to make sure everyone on the base stays safe, and we take that very seriously. Flat Stanley is safe."

    Hamblin's son, third-grader Harley Hamblin, had a special message for his father.

    "Be Safe," said young Hamblin. "Come home soon in one piece. I love you!"

    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 01.18.2010
    Date Posted: 01.19.2010 09:30
    Story ID: 44107
    Location: QAYYARAH, IQ

    Web Views: 314
    Downloads: 241

    PUBLIC DOMAIN