Middle Schoolers Lend a Little Holiday Spirit

One by one, middle school students spent most of Tuesday cutting dozens of American flags to pieces.

The gesture wasn't an inflammatory anti-war or anti-American showing. In fact, it was just the opposite.

Hampton Academy hosted a "Day of Thanks" Tuesday for members of our nation's armed forces. In addition to cutting stars off flags for the "Stars for our Troops" program, students also decorated ornaments and candy cane reindeer for soldiers overseas and the Pease International Tradeport, and made teddy bears for Afghani children.

Jess Vogel, 12, a seventh grade student at the school, said a recent trip to Pease and the book "Three Cups of Tea" were "eye-opening" experiences into the lives of deployed U.S. troops as well as the conditions for people living in the Middle East.

She said Tuesday's "Day of Thanks" was a school-wide effort to try and improve  both those things, as well as let troops know that students are thankful for their service this Thanksgiving. 

"We're pretty much focusing on making it easier for them during the holidays," said Vogel. "It kind of makes me feel good about myself because we're doing something that the troops really appreciate... You know they'll appreciate it as much as we appreciate what we're doing."

Emily Britton, another student in Suzy Frost's seventh grade social studies class, agreed.

"They're risking their lives just for us, so if we can do this maybe we can make them a little happier," said Britton, 12.

Frost said the school also held a similar day last year, which she said really struck home with many kids in her class because student Morgan Roughsedge's father, , was deployed to Afghanistan.

Frost said Tuesday also unintentionally served another purpose: to reaffirm the fact that, regardless of political or personal beliefs about war, that the Hampton Academy community wholeheartedly loves and supports the men and women serving in the military.

Roughsedge resigned Monday from his adjunct professor position at Suffolk Law School after a colleague wrote what Roughsedge felt was in response to military care packages.

Word of that resignation really began circulating around Hampton Academy and the nation Tuesday, and Frost said the news wasn't lost on the students, whom she said really wanted to take the time to do something to show their support.

"They kind of decided that the highest form of education is enlightenment and the want to do more [for others], and they get it," said Frost, referring to the impact of students' recent trip to Pease and the news about Roughsedge. "It's just awesome. They're really getting it."

Vogel said the "Day of Thanks" really made her "thankful for the stuff" she has, because she said she "didn't know how good she had it" compared to other parts of the world.

Britton agreed, stating that she hoped the message and gesture goes a long way toward helping other people this holiday season.

"We're doing as much as we can... to try and fill the hole during the holidays," she said.