BILLINGS — Billings students from Arrowhead Elementary School wrote and hand-delivered letters to Billings military veterans for Veterans Day.
The drop-off happened Friday at Mission Ridge at St. John's located on Rimrock Road but began with an idea from second grade teacher Marci Schieno.
Schieno said she developed the idea for students to write letters while preparing for the Veterans Day assembly put on by her school.
"Every year the assembly is so wonderful," Schieno said. "They do a really good job and I just thought that maybe this could take that one step further."
So, for a few weeks, Schieno would teach her class about veterans through vocabulary and history.
"We've talked a lot about what is a veteran, why they do what they do, what they did have to sacrifice," Schieno said.
All of those lessons were preparing the students for the final project: writing their own letter addressed to an anonymous veteran.
"The beauty of children is they have that natural empathy and love for everybody," Schieno said. "So now, they're going to be sharing this love having some sense of meaning to them."
Schieno said she sent an email to the staff at Arrowhead, hoping for an older class to assist her students with their letters. Alissa Gray, a fourth grade teacher, replied immediately.
"I have family that were veterans, so it's a day that's very special to me," Gray said. "When I saw the email I replied right away. It was such a good idea."
With the help of Gray's students, the letters were completed a few weeks in advance of Veterans Day.
Schieno and Gray said that it quickly became popular throughout the school and other classrooms gave them letters to drop off as well.
"It helps the kiddos know what makes the country what it is, right?" Gray said. "There's a lot of working parts. It's something for the kids to see how their impact can reach others as well."
Last Friday, Schieno, along with about 10 of her students, stopped by Mission Ridge at St. John's to deliver the letters in person and face to face. In total, she estimated that they had about 300 letters.
"I don't think the kids realize how impactful it is," Schieno said. "That's the emotional part for me."
It was a small gesture that meant a lot to the veterans who received them.
"It touches the heart," said Navy veteran Donald Russell with tears in his eyes. "It's a real blessing to know that young kids are learning this and that teachers are informing them at a young age."
Air Force veteran Gordon Hills said the notes were the first form of appreciation he could remember.
"It's the first time anyone has ever said something like this to me," Hills said. "So, it means a lot. It's good for these students to learn about what goes on in the world and have a better understanding of the service."
Army veteran Steve Fenter showed one of the letters he received to MTN, which was done by a kindergartner and was just a colored drawing. Even that simple drawing, represented a lot to Fenter, whose son also served.
"I just think this is a delight," Fenter said with a laugh. "It's tough to go away from home and leave loved ones. It's a sacrifice. My son's sacrificed, and I've sacrificed."
All of the veterans said it brings them hope to know that students are learning about how to treat veterans at an early age.
"It made me feel welcome to be home, and believe me when we first got back from Vietnam it didn't," Fenter said. "God bless the teachers and administration for encouraging that sort of thing."
For Russell, the act overwhelmed him with a sense of pride for his country.
"It means a lot," Russell said. "I can't say anything that will properly explain how I feel. I just can't say anything other than God bless America."
