Students from Bloomfield Elementary School teamed up with Bloomfield High School students to welcome home veterans from Honor Flight Mission 97 this September. Seven elementary students and two high school students made and held up signs for the veterans as they arrived home.
The elementary Cares Club, an extracurricular for 5th graders focused on service to the community, partnered with the high school’s IB CAS (International Baccalaureate Creativity, Activity, Service) students to show their appreciation for the returning veterans.
“As soon as the veterans saw that the kids made signs, they came over to them and some started crying,” said Mrs. Christine Ashton, who runs Cares Club. “It was very, very touching to be able to be a part of that.”
Before the Honor Flight trip to Washington DC, these Bloomfield students had written 60 letters and cards to say thank you to the veterans for their service and to let them know they appreciated their sacrifice and courage. Showing up with signs when the veterans arrived home was a surprise.
This was the second time Cares Club and IB CAS worked together to serve the larger community. On the Day of Caring this spring, students partnered to clean up Mount Hope Cemetery. It was a chance for older and younger Bloomfield students to work together, since both student groups have a strong emphasis on service.
After the Day of Caring, Mrs. Ashton and Mrs. Karen Woodhouse, who works with the IB CAS students, brainstormed ways they could work together again. They chose the Honor Flight veterans and had students get right to work writing cards and letters. Neither group had done this particular service project before, so it was a new experience for everyone, including the teachers.
“The kids loved it,” said Mrs. Ashton. The two groups plan to find more ways to serve together this coming school year. For now, they are grateful for this experience and looking forward to helping the community in other ways throughout the year.
