CATALDO — First graders in Jackie Durham’s class who had been bubbling over with energy just a moment before, sat quietly and with excited eyes when they had some special visitors join their class Monday morning. 

Maj. Craig Petersen , Zoie Lawson, Tessa Hodgman-Ricter, Josh Salvador, and Mattix Harris of Kellogg High School’s JROTC program stopped by to congratulate the young students on their efforts collecting gifts for Toys for Tots, giving them a certificate to commemorate their generosity.

The collection drive was a way to demonstrate some themes from a book called “Maddi’s Fridge” written by Lois Brandt and illustrated by Vin Vogel illustrating how some families have less and others have more, but that anyone can help others respectfully if they care.

“One of the words in the book was being charitable and so that’s what we’ve been learning, how can we be charitable in our school and our community,” Durham said.

The students made up their own posters advertising the toy drive and placed them around the school, and their classmates and students from other classes heard the call and brought in boxes worth of toys. JROTC student Josh Salvador said they had an extra trip to bring another box because they filled the first two toy boxes earlier this month. 

The lesson that Durham hopes the class takes away is that they’re never too young to help others and that it’s good to find ways to be kind to your neighbors.

“I want them to think about what their families do to help people or help each other. Do they help a neighbor chop wood, or help grandma clean the house?” Durham said.

The kids jumped at the opportunity to show off their physical prowess with some pushups when Petersen joked that that’s what his students have to do as part of their training. The first graders then marched in their interpretation of a military style with a lot of arms swinging as they showed off the toys they had collected to Petersen and his JROTC students.

    Frankie reads her Toys for Tots poster advertising the toy collection her class took on after reading the children's book "Maddi's Fridge." The book is about learning constructive ways to help while respecting one another in our communities.
  

    Adelynn, Alijah, Billy, Brantlee, Braydon, Connor, Ellie, Evie, Frankie, Harry, Jack, Kade, Kellin, Liam, Miles, Pierlee, Ruby, Rylan, Sawyer, Tucker, Weston, Wylee, Whitley, and Dismas hold up their certificate for collecting gifts for Toys for Tots as part of their first-grade class with Jackie Durham. Major Craig Petersen, of Kellogg JROTC stopped by Canyon Elementary School Monday morning with JROTC students Zoie Lawson, Tessa Hodgeman-Ricter, and Mattix Harris.