Fifth-grade students requested Valentine’s Day cards, one from each state, but instead received cards from across the world.
From L-R: Fifth-graders Eva Culican, Elizabeth Matthews, Anna Olson, Callie Atkinson and Hannah Dowling holding up Valentine’s Day cards received in front of the United States map students used to track their process. Dowling is holding two cards received from her family in Australia and Germany.
Cape May Court House, NJ – Middle Township School District (MTSD) students far exceeded their Valentine’s Day goal of receiving handmade cards from each state in the country. Hundreds of cards poured in from all 50 states, and almost a dozen came from schools and students in other countries.
Cards displayed from Alaska and England.
Over 170 Middle Township Elementary School #2 (MTE#2) fifth-grade students tracked the location of each card as they were received with heart shaped stickers on a giant map of the country hanging in the fifth-grade hallway. Over 700 stickers marked their progress. In addition to all 50 states, they received cards from Canada, Guam, London, Germany, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, Ireland, Australia, Liverpool, Denmark, and Saudi Arabi where the New Jersey Air National Guard’s 177th Fighter Wing was stationed.
On Jan. 25, the fifth graders started campaigning through the school’s Facebook page, asking students from all 50 states to create and send them Valentine’s Day cards. The letter had over 600 shares in 24 hours and almost 1,000 shares after just four days, reaching locations across the globe. Fifth-grade teacher Laura Caron worked together alongside the entire grade to form the unique initiative.
“The response has been amazing, and we are overwhelmed by all the kindness and love we have received,” Caron said. “We were especially excited to see cards come in from all over the world. The power of social media prevailed in the best possible way.”
“This project gave students across the entire grade level a chance to connect, but what could be better than the ability to do that during the most loving and supportive time of the year – Valentine’s Day,” said MTE#2 Principal Carrie Sinone. “The campaign was so successful and we’re grateful for teachers like Laura who go above and beyond to come up with creative ideas like this to bring our school community together.”
Students marked their success with heart shaped stickers on a map of the country featured in the Middle Township Elementary #2’s hallway.