First graders create Quilt of Valor

Representative Barney Fisher and the students of Mrs. Courtney Baker's first grade class stand with the alphabet quilt that accompanies the "Letter Book of Thanks" the class presented to Fisher at the Bryan Elementary School on Thursday, Dec. 9. Students present in no particular order are: Katie Pennington, Jah'Ziah Boyd, Vicky Parker, Danielle Garrett, Toby Guajardo, Libby Barrett, Zoe Adams, Kaster Hughes, Destiny Brokob, Brooklyn, Kutina, Jade Feller, Joseph Fragoso, Erika Parker, Trinity Kettner, Drake Hancock, Seanan Barnes, Cordell Cox, Emily Adams and Trenten Staggenborg.

It was quite a sight; 19 first grade students quietly sitting cross-legged on their Bryan Elementary School classroom floor and listening intently to Rep. Barney Fisher as he told them a little bit about a man named Floyd McComas. He told them that McComas, 101, of Nevada is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, living World War II POW in the United States.

Fisher was speaking to the children in the classroom on Thursday, Dec. 9, because, at the request of their teacher, Mrs. Courtney Baker , he had been helping the students with a class project. Back in the middle of October, the class asked Fisher to help them find a veteran to whom the class could present a Quilt of Valor, which they were going to make. The class had finished the quilt and the children were ready to give it to McComas, so they invited Fisher and McComas to class.

McComas couldn't make it, but Fisher told the students that he would make arrangements for them to get the quilt to the veteran. In response to their questions about himself, Fisher told the students how he had been born in the Nevada City Hospital and grew up in the area. He briefly told them of his teaching and coaching career and how that led to his enlistment in the United States Marine Corps.

The class had a ready group of questions and Fisher had the answers. He told students how he had retired after 21 years and four days in the Marines. He told them that he had to study a lot and that he had been overseas four times and lived in 11 or 12 states. Other than to ask a question the children sat enthralled with what Fisher told them.

One of the students asked what it was like working in the government. "It's a very interesting job," he said. He went on to explain what they do in the House of Representatives. "We make laws covering everything from A to Z," he said; "last year we passed a law on zoos," Fisher told the kids that his favorite part of the job was "when you help someone solve a problem that the have with the government." Fisher presented the students and Baker a Missouri flag for the classroom when he finished his talk.

Before Fisher could leave, the students turned the tables on him and began telling him about the "Letter Book of Thanks" they had been working on. The idea came from a book by the children's author Devin Scillian. Scillian wrote "H is for Honor: A Military Family Alphabet. Scillian's book takes each letter of the alphabet and uses a short poem to give patriotic meaning to the letter.

The students actually got to meet the author and talk with him about their project on Tuesday when they had a video chat or "Skype" session with Scillian. The session was the idea of Bryan Elementary Principal Debbie Spaur. She wholeheartedly supported the project saying that it had "expanded their minds" and had "been a wonderful learning experience. Baker said some of the students were just amazed to have the opportunity to video chat with Scillian.

The children did something similar by making each letter stand for something they were thankful about in our country.

They tried to maintain the patriotic theme, and each student chose a letter to describe. The students also illustrated each page of the book with a corresponding image. Fisher listened just as intently as the students did as they each told of their contributions to the creation of the book.

Much to the "shock" of Fisher, the class presented him with a copy of their book and an alphabet quilt they had made to accompany the book. Fisher was genuinely moved. "I am surprised and most appreciative" he told the class. In a later interview, Fisher said the class was very polite and their project was wonderful. "It was a very pleasant surprise," Fisher said.

Fisher told the students he would find a place on the wall for the quilt and then he told them, I have the most seniority in the House of Representatives and that means I get to pick any office I want. I'm going to hang this quilt in my office in the capitol," he said.

The idea for the quilt came as a result of last year's class project. Baker's class made a Wish Quilt and gave it to a child in Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City.

This year, they followed the lead of the Quilts of Valor Foundation, a non-profit organization started in 2003 by Catherine Roberts. Roberts, an avid quilter, who began making quilts as a way to pass the time after her son had been deployed to Iraq.

Her little make work project has turned into a foundation with the mission of "to cover ALL those servicemembers and veterans touched by war with Wartime Quilts called 'Quilts of Valor.'" The effort has been wildly successful. To date there have been at least 30,000 quilts sent to soldiers all over the world. Some estimates put the number much higher, maybe as much as double that number, but there is no accurate record keeping since many quilts are quietly donated to a service member.

For more information on the Quilts of Valor Foundation or to volunteer or request a quilt call (202) 525-7680 or (253) 987-6130. Contact the foundation on the Web at qovf.org/contactus or write to Quilts of Valor Foundation, P.O. Box 1003, Seaford DE 19973-1003