Support the Troops with Art for the Holidays

The 8th graders at my school wanted to organize a service project for the holidays. The holidays can be a difficult time for many people. They are especially difficult for the soldiers who are serving time overseas away from their family and friends. The students came up with the idea of sending care packages to these soldiers.

To introduce the idea to the students, we had a school wide assembly where two active soldiers spoke to the students about how difficult and isolating it can be being overseas, especially during the holidays. They spoke about the importance of receiving letters from students. One of the soldiers talked about a letter he recently received from a child. The letter was so important to him he hung it in his cubicle at work. As I listed to the two men speak about how special letters from children are to soldiers, I knew I wanted the art students to take a special role in the service project.

Students work at different paces and I’m always looking for new and creative projects for students to work on while they are waiting for their classmates to finish with their art projects. I decided that my Holiday lesson this year would be for students to write letters and or create art for soldiers. I briefly discussed the importance of sending letters and art to soldiers overseas. I referred back to the assembly so the students could make a connection.

The students have created some beautiful cards with some very sweet and sincere saying inside of them. Listen to this beautiful poem one of my students wrote on the inside of the card she made:

Red and white across the sky,
One blue banner flying high.
Stars that stay out all day long,
Slowing when the wind is gone.
A piece of fabric that helps you through,
Remember what your there to do.
To save your family back at home,
Safe and sound, left alone.
To do what you know is right,
To win this battle, to fight this fight.
To face the gun shots that fire loud,
To stay up brave amongst the crowd.
To live on as an unseen protector,
Far away but we’ll always remember.
That you are still our future’s shoulders.
Thank you SO much, to all you soldiers.

Students have created a variety of different cards to be sent overseas with the care packages. I’m so thankful that my students had the opportunity to make a different in the lives of some soldiers this Holiday season.

Have you ever sent letters or art to soldiers overseas?

How do you use art to brighten someone’s day during the holiday season?