Last year, Churchville-Chili Junior High School Teaching Assistant Susan Prevost, who teaches with Pat Burns, initiated the idea of writing to soldiers serving in the armed forces. Prevost purchased cards and stamps and supplied them to the class, and students were anxious to participate. More than 130 Christmas cards and Valentines were sent to service men. Class members were thrilled with the responses received. One of the military men on that list was Lt. Paul Smith. His wife, Nancy, was a former Churchville-Chili school nurse who requested that her husband's name be included. It was even more special because Lt. Smith is also a 1976 graduate of Churchville-Chili. Lt. Smith was in the Navy stationed in Bahrain, near Saudi Arabia, for over a year. Regular correspondence with Smith began with last year's class and was continued this year. In December 2004, Lt. Smith contacted Prevost to report that he was home safe and wanted to visit the class. Plans were quickly made for a "Welcome Home" reception. Students decorated the doors into the school, as well as their classroom with huge yellow ribbons. Lt. Smith arrived at the school in his dress uniform. He spoke of his duties and responded to questions that the students had written. Smith then presented the class with honorary NAVY seals, and told them how much their letters and cards had meant to him and others that he had shared them with. The class presented Lt. Smith with a sweatshirt with their class picture and signatures on it as a souvenir. Prevost has continued a letter writing campaign to the military this year, including her neighbor David Kuzmicki (CCCS Class of 2001), who is stationed in Afghanistan. Prevost, whose father was a WWII vet, said she feels "it is an honor to comfort our service men and women who are risking their lives on a daily basis. Watching the seeds of patriotism grow in the students has been a wonderful experience." |
