Holley students Tessa and Derek McArthur with the Soaring to New Heights Awards they received for collecting 120 pounds of candy, gifts and letters for U.S. troops overseas. Tessa is in Jennifer Root's fourth-grade class and Derek is in Linda Hurd's second-grade class.

Brother and sister team help the troops

Holley fourth-grader Tessa McArthur and her brother, second-grader Derek McArthur, are doing their part to make sure U.S. troops overseas don't feel forgotten. They spearheaded a gift and candy collection, and held a letter-writing campaign. Their classmates answered the call to duty. In all, they were able to send 120 pounds of items to the soldiers. At the January 22 Board of Education meeting, the brother and sister team was awarded the Soaring to New Heights Award, after being nominated by their principal, Lee Ann Cervini. "This was a very patriotic act," said Board President John Heise. "I know the troops love to hear from students and this is a great example of the character traits being taught throughout our school district."

February 4, 2007