Milton students caring for the troops.

Students of Mrs. Lea’s 5th Grade class at Summit Hill Elementary School in Milton gather supplies to send to troops overseas.

Courtesy Jonathan Copsey / Appen Newspapers

February 28, 2010 MILTON - The 5th graders at Milton's Summit Hill Elementary School are taking the direct approach to learning about history. They are helping with the war effort by sending care packages to the soldiers stationed overseas in Afghanistan.

The 118 kids packed 66 care packages with everything from crackers to lip balm, items that have been donated by the kids and their families.

Under the title "Our troops: learn and serve," the care packages were the idea of Abbe Laboda, the class service project chair, who thought it would be a good way to get the kids interested in the world around them.

"I wanted to raise the awareness of what our men and women are doing for us as citizens over here," said Laboda. The kids have spent the year learning about the various wars fought by the U.S., from the Revolutionary War up to the present War on Terror.

Along with the care packages, the class has been treated to guest speakers who served in the wars.

"My son-in-law... is leaving for Afghanistan," said teacher Susan Lea, "so I'm very supportive of what our men and women are doing for our country." Lea hopes to have her son-in-law speak to the class once he's overseas.

"Because I've never done it before, this was probably [more difficult than expected]," said Laboda, who will ship the boxes when the program is done. "But I've been getting into it and getting a lot of encouragement from the kids saying 'Mrs Laboda this rocks, this is really cool.'...It was well worth it."