MANSFIELD TOWNSHIP -- American heroes have come full circle at Mansfield Township Elementary School during the 2006-2007 academic school year.
Back in September, the school opened the academic year with a special program celebrating the lives of famous heroes throughout American history. Last Thursday, the school year concluded with an assembly celebrating the service of a man who Principal Edward Kemp described to the students as an American hero of today.
At the heart of the assembly was a speech and presentation by Army Major William Laverty, a Hackettstown native who received numerous letters from Mansfield students during the year he spent in Iraq. Laverty was so touched by the students' written words of encouragement and gratitude that he presented the school with an American flag that flew over his military base in Iraq's Anbar province.
"Receiving those letters made being away from my family, friends and home much more bearable, and made me miss them a little less," said Laverty, who was greeted with a standing ovation and patriotic music performed by the school band. "The letters were written from the heart."
Immediately following his speech, Laverty presented the American flag and accompanying certificate of authenticity to students Casey Brands and Travis Hepworth.
Laverty gave a military Bronze Star to student Aiden Nicholas, who wrote a paper in which he picked Laverty as someone he considered a hero.
"I appreciate how some of you consider me a hero," Laverty said. "I don't consider myself one; I look at it (military service) as my duty."
During his year in Iraq from June 2005 to June 2006, Laverty was an intelligence officer for the First Battalion 109th Infantry. His responsibilities included gathering intelligence about the enemy and reporting it to troops.
Laverty continues protecting and defending citizens' freedoms as a patrol sergeant with the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department.
The idea for the Mansfield students' letter writing effort was hatched by Laverty's mom, Ruth, who substitute teaches at the school. The student council and its two advisory teachers embraced the idea, leading to a school-wide project involving each grade level.
Staff Writer Kevin Lechiski can be reached at (908) 852-3397 or firstname.lastname@example.org.