Posen students get replies to letters from Air Guard unit

The goal of students from the Posen Elementary School was to spread some good cheer to American soldiers fighting the War on Terror in Iraq. Judging by the responses students from Hollie Kuchnicki?s third and fourth grade class have received: mission accomplished. In early February, Kuchnicki?s students sent out letters, pictures they drew, and treats. Now, the response letters have started to pour into the school. Kuchnicki?s mother Carol Guthrie works with the wife of Staff Sgt. Jared Bicker from the 127th National Guard Unit out of Selfridge Air Base near Mt. Clemens. Bicker told his wife that some members of his squadron had not been received very many letters from the states. Maybe Sgt. Bicker did not expect events to unfold the way they did, but things snowballed from there as the comment ended up being heard by Kuchnicki and her 30 students.

THE STUDENTS naturally took up the challenge and got working, during a portion of their class where ?Friendship? was the theme. The Posen students certainly made some new friends on the other side of the globe. An email response from Bicker to his wife stated that ?the guys loved them.? The pictures have all been hung up in their living quarters. The packs of gum not only were appreciated, but brought lots of smiles to the faces of the servicemen. Kuchnicki said her students have received more than 20 personalized letters in return, which are tacked to an American Flag made out of construction paper in the hallway outside of their classroom. Some of the letters feature the brigade letterhead, while others were written on small tablet paper. One letter featured a picture of an F-16. The unit is involved in loading missiles to planes at a base about 45 miles from Baghdad.

?THEY DO get treated ?okay,? but they

don?t really get letters, so we really wanted to send them nice letters,? said student Elizabeth Mulka. Taylor Chojnacki thought it was a good idea. ?We felt we should give them letters to make them happier.? Amber Thomas said, ?They really liked the pictures that we drew for them.? ?I think they really appreciated that we packed them gum and wrote them letters,? said Jacob Kuchnicki. Hollie is proud of the effort put forth by her students, ?They did a wonderful job.? First graders participated by making patriotic pamphlets. They received letters as well, but were not hung up in the hallway as of early Tuesday.

Bicker will be making a personal appearance at Posen Elementary School at a yet-to-be announced date to learn who the faces are behind the young writers. During Bicker?s visit, he also will be presenting students with an American Flag that had been flown in Iraq.