Christine CarrilloCarol-Lynn Prairie had to fight back...

Christine Carrillo

Carol-Lynn Prairie had to fight back tears as she spoke about her

9-year-old daughter Talia’s patriotic enthusiasm, an enthusiasm

sparked by a school project -- Operation Kid Link.

Talia, like many students at Kaiser Elementary School in Costa

Mesa, reached out to students of Mary Fay Pendleton Elementary School

at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside.

After begging her mother for permission, Talia dedicated herself

to doing what she could to help appease the worried hearts of other

students who are without a parent during this time of war. She wrote

10 letters as a reflection of that dedication, a feat that has left

her mother with an overwhelming sense of pride and given those

involved a greater understanding of the project’s importance.

“I wanted to become friends with kids whose parents have gone to

war and try to help them take their minds off it,” said Talia, a

fourth-grader at Kaiser. “I just want help them be happy.”

Out of about 610 students, Mary Fay Pendleton school has more than

400 students with a parent fighting overseas.

Because the school has such ties to the military, they have

experienced an influx of inquiries from people looking for ways they

can help the troops. So when Lorraine Pasqualini, project organizer

at Kaiser, called to say they wanted to help the students of those

troops, Lynne Gilstrap, principal of Mary Fay Pendleton, immediately

welcomed the unexpected generosity.

“So many people have called to see what they can do for the

troops, but I think what we forget are the children that are here,

missing their [parents],” Gilstrap said. “It’s pretty hard on

children ... so it’s nice for them to see that there’s a commonality

from child to child.”

Whether trying to appease the fears of those children intimately

affected by the war in Iraq or just trying to find a pen pal,

students of all grades got involved. More than 200 letters will be

sent to Mary Fay Pendleton on Monday. The project will be ongoing.

“That kind of correspondence can open up a link for our kids who

aren’t necessarily experiencing a loss,” said Debra Muniz, a

sixth-grade teacher at Kaiser. “I don’t think they feel like they

have an avenue to give back. With this, they do.”

Third-graders put their artistic talents to use and their youthful

optimism to the test by creating patriotic hearts, while

sixth-graders shared their interests and asked about the Pendleton

students’ experiences and travels.

“They need someone to give them hope and help keep their minds off

it so they can still have joy in what they’re doing,” 9-year-old Ryan

Shannon said.

His classmates and many other students agreed.

Although the link has just begun, the significance of its

connection can already be seen.

“My first thought was I couldn’t believe the generosity of someone

I never meant in my life and the generosity of people,” Gilstrap

said. “We have been blessed and overwhelmed. The kids have incredible

support.”