Sparkman High students send care packages

By Beth Skarupa (Redstone)March 14, 2012

Sparkman High students send care packages
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

HARVEST -- Students from Sparkman High are sending care packages and letters to Soldiers serving in Afghanistan, including many who are alumni.

What started out as an ambitious, student-run military outreach project, ended up as a spirit-filled, highly successful campaign to honor and support Soldiers who are near and dear to the students' hearts. The Sparkman High Senators for Soldiers military outreach project involved the entire school and community, far exceeding expectations with 7,533 donated items and more than 1,000 letters filling more than 75 boxes.

The project originated in Beverly Massa's management principles class. Massa is an instructor for the Sparkman Business Academy and co-sponsor of Future Business Leaders of America. She and Brandi Glenn, a student teacher from Auburn University, asked the students to come up with a project that would give back to the community.

"It ties into our social responsibility curriculum on giving back and this was one of the areas that was kind of close to the kids' hearts," Glenn said.

The students had a breakfast meeting, brainstormed ideas and formed committees to handle every aspect of the project. They decided to have a door decorating contest to stir up support and a contest for the class that collected the most items, with breakfast as the prize for both.

"They were the ones," Massa said. "They were driving, we were just guiding them. They divided up into what committees they would be on, all the way from our school announcements and getting signs hung up, to picking up the items and recording them, getting the door decorations going, everything. They've been great, the kids have been great. I'm very proud of them."

Senior Emery Hughes was involved in promoting the project. He created a visual presentation that played on each classroom television during morning announcements. The project meant a lot to him because he is thinking of joining the Army.

"I thought if I go in the Army, I know how I'll feel to get packages and stuff from my friends at school," he said.

Senior Amber Smith and junior Krisalaun Battle worked as part of the public relations team. Smith made fliers to advertise the project and contacted media, while Battle was in charge of keeping a tally of the items collected by each class and posting the progress. Both were happy to be involved with the project.

"It related so much to what we were doing in class and I thought it was an awesome opportunity for us to get a real-world situation going," Smith said. "I'm really active in the community, so I like the fact that as a school we all got together and decided to help out."

Items collected Feb. 6-14 included candy and snacks, personal hygiene items, pens and games such as dice or cards.

"I think it's a great opportunity to always help others and to not always think about yourself," Battle said. "It's a wonderful thing because everybody likes it, and especially the troops are going to be happy to see all these things we send to them and how much we care."

Junior class president Patrick Fitzgerald, who as a freshman started the Sparkman in the Community program encouraging each student to contribute service hours, was in charge of the letter writing campaign. Several letters will be included with each care package shipped.

The students collected so many items that the expense of shipping them became a problem. Each box shipped costs about $15. Initially, the students projected sending 15-20 boxes to Afghanistan. Now that they have enough items to fill 75 boxes, several community members have stepped up to help.

"Shauna Thurgood and her husband, Col. Neil Thurgood, have been instrumental in helping with the shipment," Massa said. "They will personally ensure that the balance of the boxes will reach the troops in Afghanistan."

Members of 3/108th Signal Detachment, Assistant Secretary of Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology, and the Program Executive Office for Aviation also assisted Sparkman High with this endeavor.

The boxes are being shipped to SHS alumni and other servicemembers who have connections to Sparkman High students and teachers.

"It makes me happy to give back to them because since my family is a military family and my dad did work on the Arsenal, I know a lot of people out there," junior Elizabeth Davis said. "And it makes me happy to know that I'm giving back to them, that I'm doing something more"