U.S. Marine’s challenge to ‘Try something new’ fires up entire school

Meg Strnat’s students wrote letters to Marines in Iraq in the fall of 2007. However, the activity took on whole new meaning when they received a letter in return from 1st Lieutenant Michael Tomai in February. “We were amazed that he actually wrote back,” said Strnat. “He sent us this spectacular letter and a fantastic challenge all rolled up into one.”

Within the four-page letter he told them about the children their age in Iraq. “They are not blessed with the same opportunities that we have as Americans, they have much the same goals and dreams as you.”  Then, he gave Strnat’s students two challenges: “Eagerly accept every opportunity to learn something new, and encourage others to do the same.”

He said by doing these two things every day, they can have an effect on their fellow students 6,400 miles away there in Iraq, or anywhere else that they desire.  He said doing these two things will help them be ready. “I need your help now, and your country will need your help in the future. All you need to do to provide that help is to do two simple things every day,” said Tomai.

The children decided to take the challenge and involve others as well. They created posters and hung them around the school to alert students to “take the challenge.” The class wrote a script and performed it on video to convince the whole school to accept the “challenge.”  They prepared a certificate so each person could sign a “pledge” to push himself individually to try something new. Then Strnat’s students collected the certificates on red and white paper and posted them in rows to create the flag’s stripes on a bulletin board.

What did their certificates say they pledged to try? A sampling follows:
Be nicer to my sister and brother.
Learn Spanish.

• Get more exercise.

• Be respectful by listening to my teachers.

• Get my social studies grade up.

• Do not play video games and watch TV as much.

• Do a kind deed without anyone knowing.

• Smile when I feel like frowning.

• Help my friends get along.

Caption: Cumberland Road Elementary fourth graders in Meg Strnat’s class, Tyler Gorbett, Lauren Meadows, Matthew Maas and Alexa Page, read through some of the student pledges “to try something new” on a display in the school hallway.