Margaret Mace third graders, Audrey Cordero, Gianna Williams, Alexandra Gonzalez, Jacob Swartz, Gianna Runner, and Jeremy Jones share a few of the letters and pictures the class is sending to service men and women in Iraq. /Photo Credit: Maureen Cawley

U.S. Marine Corps Second Lt. Matthew Morrison, of Sea Isle City, and his combat unit are currently serving in Iraq—worlds away from home. Soon however, the soldiers will be catching up on all the local news and receiving warm wishes of gratitude from the young patriots in Margaret Mace School’s third grade class.

Over the past few months, students in Jessica Hickman’s class have been learning about the presidential election and the many issues that affect American citizens, including education, the environment, health care and the ongoing war in Iraq.
Hickman, who graduated from Wildwood Catholic with Morrison in 2002, said that she told students about him and his unit of 40 young soldiers, who are serving in that war.

“They wanted to do their part to help,” Hickman said.

So throughout October, the class wrote thank you letters and drew pictures in Writer’s Workshop for the young men and women who are currently serving with Morrison.

In the letters, students gave the soldiers a report on local happenings: the recent bouts of stormy weather, their plans for Halloween, and, of course, the Phillies’ new status as World Series champions.

Students also shared information with the soldiers about their families, their pets and their everyday routines, and they posed questions on all sorts of topics. They wanted to know about the soldiers’ families, the weather in the Middle East, and what it’s like to be soldier, fighting a war in a foreign land.

“Are soldiers allowed to dress up for Halloween?” one student asked.

“Do you sleep…in a tent or in a sumereen?” asked another.

“We gave the students free reign to write about what they wanted to write about. We thought that would make the letters more fun to read,” Hickman said. “We are hoping to make them laugh and smile.”

One can imagine that letters and crayon drawings from kids at home will brighten days for the soldiers in Morrison’s unit, especially since so many of the students were sure to let them know that their great sacrifice does not go unnoticed.

“Stay safe” they wrote repeatedly, and “Thank you for fighting for us.”