Most of us associate November with Thanksgiving, expressing our gratitude whether it be for our own identified blessings, or the blessings bestowed to others. This story of gratitude from some Greene County’s younger residents, a group of sixth grade students from West Greene school district. These students collaborated with Blue Star Mothers and a project called “Bubble Gum Tales”.
Shelly Richardson, the sixth-grade math teacher at West Greene, was approached by Betty Jo Black, who is part of the Blue Star Mothers organization. Betty Jo asked Shelly if her students would be interested in providing encouraging letters to send along with the care packages that the organization was preparing for the upcoming holiday season. Shelly shared that the district encourages the students to participate in service projects, but this project was one that personally hit home for her, having family that were service members. It also reinforces the lessons that the students have had about events such as 9/11 and the yearly assembly in honor of Veterans Day.
So, the concept of Bubble Gum Tales was birthed. The premise was that the students would write a funny story about a life event that has happened to them within the past few months of school. The students (51 in total spread throughout separate classroom periods) did some brainstorming and came up with ideas about what it was they would share with the military folks. Not only did they each write a funny story, but they also took the opportunity to write a note thanking the soldiers for their service. But how did it get the name Bubble Gum Tales? The students were permitted to chew bubble gum while they wrote their stories and sent bubble gum to the soldiers so they could chew as the read – a pretty cool exchange!
The students took full ownership of the project, and the amount of empathy demonstrated by the students was amazing. Sometimes we think our kids don’t get it or are too young to understand, but then they show us how much they truly do realize.
At the end of the project, each student had a photo of them taken blowing a bubble (or attempting to!). You can check out more of these photos on the West Greene’s page. Some students were so motivated they asked if they could write additional stories.
Shelly said she hopes they will continue to support this project, because, at the end of the day, not only where the soldiers receiving something special, but she felt that the students got a lot more than what they gave.
Calvin Coolidge said, “No person was ever honored for what they received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave!”