Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Monday, July 14, 2008

 Fayette County students strengthened relations with members of the armed services this week, as some sorted donations for overseas care packages and others got a close-up look at a Blackhawk helicopter. 

  Under a bright afternoon sun, Martin Luther King Jr. Academy students loaded box after box of contributions onto a waiting transport truck.

  “It teaches them to have a little heart and care about others,” Principal Mark Sellers said in describing the service project.

  Generous students from across the school district collected “quality of life” items for Kentuckians serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. They filled three dozen box loads with everything from toothbrushes, wet wipes and razors to DVDs, puzzle books and popcorn. MLK Academy was the central collection site.

  “We’ve got food, we’ve got clothes, we’ve got everything we asked for and more,” said Elzada Azikiwe, a health education teacher.

  The Red Cross transported the supplies to Fort Knox, where the items will be sorted and shipped to Kentucky units serving in war zones.

  “They were truly in the spirit of helping others,” said Stacey Fish, a teacher at Edythe J. Hayes Middle School, where students donated more than 3,000 items.

  “It’s something to help (service members) realize we back here in the States are thinking of them,” said Hayes principal Sherri Heise. "We believe strongly in supporting our troops.”

  The same day, members of the military returned the favor across town at Veterans Park Elementary by landing a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter next to the playground.

  The school had been working all year to find the right time for the event. By happy coincidence, May 12-18 is Armed Forces Week, which is designed to increase public awareness and to express appreciation to the men and women serving their country.

  The Kentucky Army National Guard was behind the memorable show-and-tell at the school, leaving each class with camouflage foam footballs.

  “We try to support as many (school requests) as we can,” said Lt. Col. Tom Barrier, of the 63rd Aviation Brigade out of Frankfort.

  The Guard makes a special effort when there are family ties; in this case, Lt. Col. Mark Sherman has three sons attending Veterans Park Elementary.

  “He’s excited it’s happened but disappointed he’s not here,” said Yvonne Sherman, whose husband was deployed to Afghanistan just before Christmas.

  She stood near the Blackhawk as excited students paraded outside and across the grass for a 15-minute hands-on tour – a field trip of sorts in their own backyard.

  “They all talk about it the rest of the day,” said Barrier, who said the school visits support community involvement and awareness of what the National Guard does.

  The Guard, for instance, might visit D.A.R.E. programs and high school ROTC units and occasionally do flyovers at Applebee’s Park. But it also responds after natural disasters.

  “Our first job is to serve the state of Kentucky,” Barrier said.