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Preschoolers learning words have meanings

Danielle Clements (standing at right) helps students of the Huntington Head Start program display a flag they made and presented to her to include in a care package destined for members of her late brother’s unit in Afghanistan.
Danielle Clements (standing at right) helps students of the Huntington Head Start program display a flag they made and presented to her to include in a care package destined for members of her late brother’s unit in Afghanistan. Photo by Cindy Klepper.

"Soldier" and "sacrifice" are two of the words posted on the "word wall" in the Huntington Head Start classroom.

The Head Start students, though, know that they're more than just words. They know one soldier who made the ultimate sacrifice, giving his life in the service of their country.

So when the soldier's sister, Danielle Clements of Huntington, asked if the students wanted to contribute anything to a care package she was putting together for her brother's unit, the preschoolers started drawing pictures, writing letters and using their handprints to create a large American flag for the soldiers.

"I was sending a care package to Chad's unit, and I asked Head Start if they would like to help," Clements says. She has a friend on the Head Start staff, she explains, and a friend of her brother has a child who is a student at Head Start.

Clements' brother, Chad Clements, died Aug. 30, 2010, while serving with the United States Army near Kandahar, Afghan-istan. His unit is expected to remain in Afghanistan until August of this year, she says.

Clements says the care package will be a Valentine gift to the unit.

Complete caption: Danielle Clements (standing at right) helps students of the Huntington Head Start program display a flag they made and presented to her to include in a care package destined for members of her late brother’s unit in Afghanistan. The students are (standing at left) Jazzmyn Bennett; (kneeling and seated, from left) Lisha Scott, Angel Felton, Haley Preston, Aili Moon, Trace Holley, Vinnie Tome and Zoey Stanley; and (standing at right) Conner Stephan.