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Third-graders love their Army buddy at St. Pattie's in Smithtown There are schools where teachers promote freedom and patriotism. The truth is there are many, many kids in this country who start patriotic efforts on their own because they understand what is good and what is right. That most certainly happened at St. Patrick's Elementary School in Smithtown, New York, a town that lost 52 residents or members of town families. These kids found a GI in Iraq to whom to write and send gifts, he responded signing off as "your Army buddy, Sgt. Travis Collier," and he followed up all this mail by taking time to visit the kids while home in California on a two week leave. No politics, just fun. May 13, 2006
We have long argued that patriotism can and should be taught in our schools. In some cases, perhaps in most cases, all a school needs to do is create an environment where kids can exercise their innate sense of patriotism and love of country, and the kids will take it from there. At St. Patrick's Elementary School in Smithtown, New York, a third grader named Holly Hayban decided she would take the bull by the horn and start a patriotic effort on her own. It blossomed, and the school supported the kids by joining with an Iraqi veteran home on leave to pull a surprise visit to the school that brought smiles, tears, laughter, hugs, salutes and pride to them all. Briefly, in December 2005 Holly told her mom she wanted to write to a soldier in Iraq. Her mother suggested the son of a friend at work. So Holly started writing to Army Sgt. Travis Collier, 22, of Murrieta, California, stationed at Camp Anaconda at Balad Airfield, Iraq. To her delight, Collier responded, and Holly showed his letter to her pals. Soon, the entire class started sending him letters and treats. Well, Collier returned home on a two-week leave. Once he gotsettled at home in California, he took a break, hopped on a plane with his mom and his wife and flew to New York, paying his own freight, to see the kids. The school was ready for his visit, but his third-grade pen pals were surprised. Their teacher, Mrs. Elsie Perri, interrupted her math lesson and asked the kids to pay attention to a special announcement, and then she told them:
The school later held an assembly in the gym so the entire school could meet this soldier. According to Sgt. Collier, they all just talked and laughed, and didn't get into the hum-drum of what anyone thought about the war. He said, "We just had fun." Frank Eltman has done a story on the visit for AP, as has Jennifer Sinco Kelleher of Newsday. We commend them to you. Each of these articles is different, informative, and very uplifting. We just want to thank the kids, thank the school, and thank Sgt. Collier for his service and for his warm heart. We also wish to thank the kids' teacher, Mrs. Perri, and the parents of those kids. Bravo to you all. Here are some photos, all credited to Jason DeCrow, AP
Students in Mrs. Perri's third grade class react as they learn they are about to get a surprise visit from their pen pal Army Sgt Travis Collier at St. Patrick Elementary School Thursday, May 11, 2006 in Smithtown, New York.
Army Sgt. Travis Collier gets an enthusiastic group hug from his pen pals in Mrs. Perri's third grade class at St. Patrick Elementary School.
Backed by their entire school, students in Mrs. Perri's third grade class, front row, cheer for their pen pal Army Sgt. Travis Collier during a surprise assembly in his honor at St. Patrick Elementary School Thursday, May 11, 2006, in Smithtown, New York. Pictured from left in the front row are Justin Thomas, 9, Katie Curry, 9, Mary Seimers, 8, and 9 year-old Michael O'Connell.
Army Sgt. Travis Collier chats with Madison Gisler, 8, left, Julia Lado, 9, right, and other students.
Army Sgt. Travis Collier, left, looks on as 9 year-old Matt Roxburgh draws him a picture.
Cheerleaders perform a special routine for Army Sgt Travis Collier, seated center, during a surprise assembly in his honor. Seated left is his mother Ryndi and seated right is his wife Leah.
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Opening photo credit: Backed by their entire school, students in Mrs. Perri's third grade class, front row, cheer for their pen pal Army Sgt. Travis Collier during a surprise assembly in his honor at St. Patrick Elementary School Thursday, May 11, 2006, in Smithtown, New York. Pictured from left in the front row are Justin Thomas, 9, Katie Curry, 9, Mary Seimers, 8, and 9 year-old Michael O'Connell. Jason DeCrow, AP We honor service and sacrifice. Please click the "Donate" button and contribute $20 or more to help keep this station alive. Thanks. |
Smithtown is in Suffolk County, New York, on the north shore of Long Island, outside New York City. Fifty-two people from the town or who had families living in the town perished in the enemy attack against the United States at the World Trade Center in New York on September 11, 2001. The town has installed a memorial to those 52, with the name of each person on a bronze plaque at the base of the Memorial Park's waterfall.