Project Holiday Cheer 2006 kicks off

The annual Project Holiday Cheer kicked off on Friday at the Saipan Community School in Susupe, with 19 8th grade students drafting and writing letters for U.S. soldiers deployed in Iraq.

Led by Pacific STAR Center for Young Writers Inc. director Kathryn Tuten-Pucket, the project is being done in cooperation with SCS acting principal Bobby Winkfield

Winkfield said the school is expecting at least 175 letters to be forwarded to the Project Holiday Cheer organizers.

Winkfield said all junior and senior high school students at SCS would be participating to bring cheer and joy to U.S. soldiers. He said the school is once again participating because they want the children to understand why the soldiers are in Iraq and Afghanistan.

He added that his school’s participation is significant because some of the students have parents deployed in Iraq.

The 8th grade class of teacher Stephanie Taylor gathered Friday morning in the school to write letters. Earlier that morning her class finished reading the book Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane.

“We want the students to learn what a soldier has to go through mentally [during war],” Taylor said.

Some of the letters written that day was by 14-year old John Park. He wrote, “I am Korean…I want to bring some family memories to you, Mr. Soldier. You are very brave and courageous.”

Twelve-year old Ardel Tumbaga wrote, “Thank you for being brave enough to fight for us. We all support and respect you.”

Tuten-Pucket said the project sends photo greeting cards and letters to patients and military hospitals.

“Letter will be picked up from the schools on Nov. 15. Each letter is read by volunteers from the Office of Veterans/Military Affairs and Pacific STAR to ensure that the contents are appropriate,” she added.

This year’s sponsors for the project are the Military Veterans Affairs Office, VFW Post 3457 and the American Red Cross-NMI Chapter.

Schools participating in the project are: Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School, Kagman Elementary School, Koblerville Elementary School, San Antonio Elementary School, San Vicente Elementary School, Tanapag Elementary School, William S. Reyes Elementary School, Calvary Christian Academy, Grace Christian Academy, Marianas Baptist Academy, Mt. Carmel School, Northern Marianas Academy, Saipan Community School, Seventh Day Adventist Elementary School and Whispering Palms School.

Tuten-Pucket said other schools that want to participate in this project could contact her at 234-4849, 236-READ or email her at pacificstartcenter4yw@yahoo.com and stationery and guidelines would be delivered.

“We will also send cards and letters to any military personnel that we have a name and address for. If you know someone in the military that you would like to receive a CNMI greeting, contact me with the name and current address,” she said.

Last year the Project Holiday Cheer collected 2,484 letters written by Kinder to 12th grade students in the CNMI. There were 15 schools and 134 classrooms that participated and 220 packets of letters were sent to Echo Company and other off-island military personnel from the Commonwealth.