Education

Oysterponds student led effort to send Valentine’s Day cards to troops

KATHARINE SCHROEDER PHOTO | Oysterponds Elementary student Taylor Schombs receives a certificate of appreciation from Legion member Liz Morrison who is also a veteran and the president of the Ladies Auxillary. Past commander of the Burton Potter post and membership coordinator.

She’s only 7, but Taylor Schombs has the heart and soul of a far more mature young lady.

That’s why members of the Burton Potter American Legion Post 185 in Greenport showed up at Oysterponds Elementary School Friday morning to surprise the second-grader and honor her for spearheading a Valentine’s Day card-writing project for American troops serving in Iraq.

They brought with them an American flag flown over a post in Iraq, a plaque honoring Taylor for the effort that brought joy to the members of Detachment Bravo AO1C/SEA Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 26 and a proclamation from Assemblyman Dan Losquadro (R,C-Shoreham), a member of the state legislature’s education committee.

The Legionnaires also brought pictures of the troops holding up many of the 100 Valentine’s Day cards they received from Oysterponds students.

“I was just thinking about people in the Army and I like writing letters,” Taylor said, explaining why she suggested to teachers and classmates that they join in the effort.

The students chose the Seabees because Taylor’s mother, Alison Lyne, had a friend who suggested them, according to Superintendent Joan Frisicano.

“This is a pretty special moment for Oysterponds Elementary School,” Ms. Frisicano told the students at Friday morning’s assembly. “All of you participated and you did a really good deed,” she told the students. She said they should all feel good inside thinking about the joy they brought to service men and women serving in Iraq.

“Thank you for keeping the Seabees in your heart,” the plaque from the veterans reads. It’s a small thing, but “it means so much.”

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