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Soldier surprised Franklin class
Monday, February 23, 2009
FRANKLIN — Fourth-graders at Gerke Elementary School got a surprise this week from a soldier they wrote letters to earlier in the school year.
Rhonda Campbell's fourth grade class wrote thank-you letters to Nathan Synder, a soldier stationed at Korengal Valley at Firebase Vegas in Afghanistan. They mailed the letters, which helped them practice writing for the Ohio Achievement Test, along with a care package filled with candy, games and baby wipes.
The students wrote to Synder, Campbell said, not only because he is a United States soldier, but also because he has special ties to Gerke. He is the son-in-law of our former principal, Steve Liles.
Last week, while home on a short leave, Synder dressed in his uniform and paid a surprise visit to the students to personally thank them for all of their letters, goodies, and thoughtfulness, Campbell said.
"The students were ecstatic," she said. "They were so excited to meet him in person."
He shared pictures and stories with the students for them to better understand the life of a soldier, Campbell said.
"They were very impressed by Nathan. It was an awesome learning experience and a great honor to have Nathan visit us," she said.
Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2551 or mengle@coxohio.com.
