Community in Schools and MPHS
Outreach Opportunity
Overview: On March 17th students in 9th and 10th grade homerooms will participate in a community service project
supporting our troops and our MPHS ROTC program. Students will watch the movie Forrest Gump (2 hours 25
minutes. Rated PG-13) while answering basic comprehension questions.
Afterwards, classrooms will have a brief conversation about pertinent scenes in the movie and the importance of
recognizing our troops for their service and sacrifice. Students will write thank you letters to active duty military
troops. Members of the CIS leadership team will teach select homerooms how to make life saving paracord bracelets
that will be mailed to our troops based out of California.
Each 9th and 10 grade homeroom will receive a labeled envelop to collect donations to support our ROTC program.
Teachers are to collect the money and return envelops to the main office.
Objectives
 To analyze a non-print text and discuss connections between characters and current soldiers.
 To express gratitude to the men and women who are currently serving in the Armed Services through written
expression.
 To provide uplifting words to soldiers who have left loved ones behind.
 To encourage soldiers who are in unfamiliar territory and may be in life threatening situations.
PART ONE
 Provide an overview of the day’s events with your students. Collect money for ROTC and discuss the
fundraiser. Highlighting the importance of community service and supporting our troops as well as supporting
our school programs. (Remember supporting our troops is not the same as supporting war or deployment.)
 Review guided question sheet prior to beginning of movie, Forrest Gump. Forrest Gump will begin at 7:30.
Copies will be provided for you. The guided question sheet can be found in Google Drive.
https://docs.google.com/a/cms.k12.nc.us/document/d/1YVX0j-tqGLhZP92AGp1avj2AW9sfHsTfw_oUaTUaLI/edit?usp=sharing
PART TWO
 Focus students’ attention to Forrest experiences during the war. Personally connect with students by asking if
they have a family member that is deployed or know someone deployed.
 Review the following site and discuss with students why contacting our troops might be good idea.
https://www.operationgratitude.com/writeletters/
 View the following video clip:
http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/operation-gratitude-gifts-for-heroes-far-from-home/
 Tips on how to write an effective letter
http://www.operationgratitude.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/LetterWriting-3Teachers2.pdf
http://amillionthanks.org/send_a_letter.php

Other points to consider:
-Remind soldiers of what awaits them at home and that people care about our military
-You can bring a little bit of home to their dangerous situation by sharing a little bit about you
-Include what connects you to the military (interested in a career in the military, family members are
serving/served in the past, etc., respect you have for such individuals.
Please monitor student letters and collect at the end of the time frame. Letters should be placed in the designated
box in the main office.