THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, December 20, 1995 TAG: 9512190107
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 05 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAWSON MILLS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
It may be the Christmas season, but at Thoroughgood Elementary last week it looked more like Valentine's Day.
There was an explosion of hearts appearing on letters written by students to their fathers as part of the school's ``Letters To Sea'' program, begun last month by guidance counselor Paul Metzger.
Most of the absent fathers are aboard ships on deployment, hence the program's name. But, noted Metzger, one father is in Korea with the Army and one is working in Washington, D.C.
The school administration has been supportive, said Metzger, providing special ``stationery'' for the kids to use and setting aside tables in the cafeteria at lunchtime once a month for those who want to write to their dads.
``But the ones who have been really supportive,'' he continued, ``have been the parents. They've sent notes and letters of encouragement and volunteered to come in and help.''
Metzger, a parent and retired Navy aviator, isn't surprised. He knows firsthand how important mail from home - and especially from one's children - can be when you're a long way from home on government orders.
He discovered the ``Letters To Sea'' concept while working at White Oaks Elementary, which used to have a high percentage of military dependents. When White Oaks' student population shrank, Metzger was assigned to work at three different elementary schools: Thoroughgood, Strawbridge and Kingston.
He started the program at Thoroughgood and Strawbridge. Both schools have a number of children whose parents are deployed with the military.
Postage for the letters is provided by the parent teacher organizations.
Currently, all the letters are written to fathers. At White Oaks, where the program was begun by guidance counselors Kathleen Kutnak and Ann Siler during the Gulf War, some of the letters went to mothers serving with the Navy.
Kindergartner Danielle Stanley, 5, wrote her letter ``to daddy,'' Boatswain's Mate First Class Edgar Stanley, aboard the oiler Monongahela. She told him about Christmas and losing her first tooth which, with a little help from mom, came out as she was writing her letter. ``I love you,'' she added.
``I think it's a great idea,'' said Danielle's mother, Connie Stanley. ``We write letters at home all the time, but I think it's good they can come here and share with other children.''
First-grader Jake Carlson, 7, said, ``My dad's in the Navy; he's on the Wasp.'' In his letter he wrote, ``I wish you were at home with me. I am having a good time at school.''
Jake and classmates Cassandra Stanley, 7, Renee Reyes, 6, and Chelsea Myhrvold, 6, embellished their letters with hearts, carefully drawn and colored either red or green.
Signalman First Class Scott Newberry, stationed aboard the carrier George Washington, made it home before the letter written last month by his daughter, fifth-grader Danielle Memolo, 10, caught up with him. That hasn't dampened his enthusiasm for the program.
``I think it's terrific,'' said Newberry. ``The idea, the concept is great. While deployed I'm going to be looking forward to it. Oh, yeah, absolutely!'' ILLUSTRATION: Photos by DAWSON MILLS
Angela Gut, left, a second-grader, and Chelsea Myhrvold, a
first-grader, write letters to their parents at sea.
Thoroughgood Elementary guidance counselor Paul Metzger came up with
the idea.
by CNB