Gabbard Announces Kaleiopuu Elementary School to participate in Operation Caring Classroom National School Initiative.

HONOLULU -November 2, 2007- Senator Mike Gabbard announced today that Kaleiopuu Elementary School in Village Park has been selected as the only school in the state participating in the 2nd Annual Operation Caring Classroom national school initiative.

Operation Caring Classroom is sponsored by the Armed Forces Foundation and has the goal of remembering and supporting military children during a week long celebration from November 5th to 9th, leading up to Veteran's Day. This year the program was launched by U.S. Secretary of Education, Margaret Spellings, and will involve one school from every state in the country.

"It's great to see the students at Kaleiopuu Elementary supporting their peers who have parents in the military", said Gabbard. "Keiki who have parents deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan, or other places around the world have added responsibilities and stress. Operation Caring Classroom is a nice example of the aloha spirit in action."

Each participating school, like Kaleiopuu Elementary, has received a school kit with patriotic items, such as flags, magnets, bookmarks, and activity books for the students. Teachers will engage their classes in writing letters to a military child, coloring patriotic pictures, creating a patriotic display case, and building a strength chain.

If you would like more information about the program, please contact Senator Gabbard's office at 586-6830 or Principal Carolyn Alexander at 675-0266.