LITTLE LETTER WRITERS—Hollow Hills students Ryan Spann, a fourth-grader, and Kayla O’Connell, a fifth-grader, hold letters to be sent from their school to U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Nine-year-old Ryan’s father, Col. Martin Spann, is on his third tour of duty, and is currently stationed in Afghanistan. He is helping get the letters to soldiers serving in remote areas Photo courtesy Staci O Ten-year-old Kayla O’Connell can locate Afghanistan on a map. She knows it’s a long way from Simi Valley.

She also knows American troops are fighting there.

A fifth-grade student at Hollow Hills Fundamental School, Kayla recently participated in a campaign to write letters to those troops.

“If I was over there, I would want to know that people are thinking of me,” she said.

Over the past month, Kayla and nearly all the students at Hollow Hills wrote letters. Their parents, siblings and teachers wrote them too.

In the end, more than 600 letters were collected by the school’s Parent-Teacher Association, sponsor of the campaign.

“Some teachers did the letters as part of a class project. Even kindergartners did it, drawing a picture and signing their name,” said Staci O’Connell, Hollow Hills PTA president.

The teachers gave the students some guidelines, like beginning with “Dear Soldier.” The students wrote about their families and activities at home and at school.

“The kids told the soldiers about their dogs or pet hamsters or that they have a really annoying sister or brother,” said Alexa Spann, a member of the PTA executive board and mother of two. “The kids thanked the soldiers for serving.”

Some students know firsthand what it’s like having a parent serving in the military, and Spann’s son, 9-year-old Ryan, is one of them. The fourth-grader’s father, Col. Martin Spann, is on his third tour of duty. He’s currently serving with the Army in Afghanistan.

Ryan, his mother and his 12- year-old sister, Franchesca, a student at Sinaloa Middle School, e-mail and write to Spann as often as possible. They know how important it is for the soldiers to hear from their families.

“When the letters go out to the soldiers, especially from kids during the holidays, it really lifts their spirits,” Alexa Spann said. “The soldiers trade them or keep them and take the letters home when they leave.”

Ryan is proud of his dad, but his one wish for Christmas is having him home.

“I miss him,” said Ryan with a brave smile.

Letters to the troops usually go to a central location for distribution in the green zone, an area secure from combat.

The Hollow Hills letters will go in a package directly to Col. Spann, who will see to it that they reach the soldiers out in the field.

“The troops hunkered down in the mountains don’t always get the letters,” Alexa Spann said.

“Martin can get our letters to the troops in remote locations.”