HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. - Students from a Bedford, Massachusetts, elementary school completed a service art project last month honoring their community’s active duty military members and families.
Hanscom Air Force Base representatives attended the Lt. Job Lane Elementary School’s semimonthly meeting Nov. 25, where they accepted students’ artwork.
“I want to express my deep appreciation to the students at Lane Elementary for writing heartfelt thank-you notes to our military,” said Master Sgt. James Hodge, 66th Air Base group first sergeant. “Their words of support and encouragement are incredibly meaningful and serve as a powerful reminder of why we serve.”
The National Art Education Association recently expanded its mission by piloting an elementary-level program, and Lane Elementary was selected as one of the NEAHS pilot sites.
“One of the suggestions was to create art for military service members and their families. When the proposals were posed to students, they ranked this opportunity as their top choice,” said Jen Ferrari, visual arts teacher at Lane Elementary.
Laurel Wironen, Hanscom AFB school liaison program manager, said both the base and the community remain committed to ensuring individuals feel valued.
“Bedford Public Schools and the Hanscom community share a partnership that helps create a welcoming environment where students and families feel supported and valued,” said Wironen.
Organizers said students would choose to honor the military community again.
“Learning becomes especially meaningful when students can apply it to real-world situations and see the impact of their efforts firsthand,” said Ferrari. “This is particularly powerful when it strengthens connections between the school and the local community.”
To learn more about Lane NEAHS, visit the school’s website.