Sending a whole lot of love, elementary class proves love takes miles
The map that started it all, filled as each state sent a card. Photos source: Jennifer Kerns
The card across the sea from Japan.
Kerns said teachers from other classes will come and view the new additions.
Some cards were punny in nature.
A map and ranger badges sent from a National Park ranger in Yellowstone.
Students celebrating reaching their goal.
The victory of getting all 50 states will be celebrated with a cupcake on Friday, Feb. 13.
The students make tallies every time they get a card.
Some even handcrafted their cards.
Artistic trading cards from Mississippi.
The map that started it all, filled as each state sent a card. Photos source: Jennifer Kerns
The card across the sea from Japan.
Kerns said teachers from other classes will come and view the new additions.
Some cards were punny in nature.
A map and ranger badges sent from a National Park ranger in Yellowstone.
Students celebrating reaching their goal.
The victory of getting all 50 states will be celebrated with a cupcake on Friday, Feb. 13.
The students make tallies every time they get a card.
Some even handcrafted their cards.
Artistic trading cards from Mississippi.
As her classroom continues to fill with pink, red and purple mail from far away places, Jennifer Kerns' one plea to Facebook for cards turned into a worldwide project that showed students love can come from anywhere.
Kerns, who is a paraprofessional in the Therapeutic Learning Center at Wareham Elementary, said the goal was to get cards from all 50 states.
"We told them to share it with their families and friends because we know a lot of kids travel and have families in other states," she said.
The idea behind the project was to teach the kindergarten through second graders that even people who don't know them have the capability to love them. Kerns wanted to fill her map with people who would be "willing to send us cards without even knowing us."
With her Facebook post catching steam and a busy mailbox at the elementary school, Kerns got what she wished for and so much more. The project turned global with countries like England, Japan, and Canada sending cards.
Students got to learn fun facts about states and other countries as students, soldiers, medical professionals, businesses, Girl Scouts, friends and an entire eighth grade classroom sent in cards. Kerns said she was blown away by the response and was still receiving cards after their goal was met.
"We have them all decorated around the classroom, my walls are covered," she said.
Her class received over 300 cards, meeting their goal on Wednesday, Feb. 11. The trip to the mailbox became a routine for the students to check what states they received cards from and tally the totals.
"They love looking at them," Kerns said. "Especially the postcards and the ones that had special facts about the states."
While she said she didn't expect the overwhelming support, Kerns said she appreciated everyone who sent a card.
Kerns said showing the students that the world has kind people that are willing to help has resulted in the classroom being turned into a gallery. Though Valentine’s Day has come to an end, Kerns said she'll keep up the map and new decor for quite some time.
"Although we originally planned to send a thank you card from the class to each person that sent a card, the outcome of the project was just too big. We thank our community for helping us reach our goal," she said.
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