HHS PTSA Encourages Grateful Hearts
The Huntington High School Parent-Teacher-Student Association is always cooking up something worthwhile for the more than 1,300 students that call the building home. Take the organization's Grateful Hearts letter writing campaign, which was an opportunity for the teenagers to "pay it forward" last Friday.
"Pay it forward is an expression for describing the beneficiary of a good deed repaying it to others instead of to the original benefactor," according to Wikipedia. Huntington High School students embraced the concept last week by penning missives that signal their appreciation for those in uniform who have volunteer to keep America secure in an increasingly tumultuous world.
"The purpose of the program is to invite the students to express their gratitude to a member of the military and thank them for their service in a heartfelt note," said Alice Marie Rorke, the high school PTSA president. "Many wrote a note of thanks for their freedom while others expressed their gratitude for keeping us all safe. The sentiments were genuine and heartfelt."
Freshman Kayla Ryan seized on the chance to write a letter to a member of the military. "I'm glad that we were able to do this for the people who are serving our country," the teenager said. "Hopefully, the letters will bring a smile to all of their faces."
Huntington PTSA Treasurer Debbie Knowles served as the chairperson of this year's Grateful Hearts campaign. "I was really impressed by our student's willingness to participate in the program," she said. "Hopefully, their kind words will lift the spirits of our military personnel overseas. The students should be proud of themselves."
The teenagers displayed a knack for beautifully decorating their notes and for writing some heartfelt sentiments, including "Just know your work never goes unappreciated" and "Everyone here is proud of you" and "Hopefully, I'll be doing what you're doing someday."
"The students really got into the spirit of paying it forward," Mrs. Rorke said. Freshman Abigail Bellistri said that "writing the letters seems like such a small gesture compared to what all the troops do for us, but it's nice to know that my words could bring a smile to a soldier's face."
"It was wonderful to see the kids getting involved in such a worthy endeavor," Assistant Principal Brenden Cusack said. "This is yet another example of our PTSA finding avenues for our students to engage with others and to expand their experience beyond the high school."
The notes will eventually find their way to American military bases. They are being forwarded retired Lt. Col. Rhett B. Lawing, who is the uncle of current Huntington High School students William and Stephen Shivers and Thomas and Meghan Plant. Lt. Col. Lawing will then arrange for the letters to be distributed to United States service men and women overseas.