This past fall, the first-grade class at Our Lady of the Angels Academy learned that the father of one of their classmates was going to be deployed to the Middle East.

Rallying around their classmate, Brody Breiner, and his family, the children wanted to do more than just keep Tech. Sgt. Wally Breiner and his fellow service members in their prayers.In addition to special prayer intentions, the students sent homemade cards and messages throughout the winter months and organized a schoolwide military drive with the help of their teacher, Sarah Boyle.The students assisted Boyle in collecting, organizing and packing the boxes to ship.The Our Lady of the Angels Academy school family donated 10 boxes of cards and items to send to Breiner to distribute to the service members with whom he served.After his return to the United States, Breiner, along with his wife, Amanda, and daughter Jovie, surprised the first-graders as guest readers in class as a thank you for their support throughout his active duty. The students enjoyed hearing Dr. Seuss' "Oh, The Places You'll Go" and also had the opportunity to ask questions about military life.Breiner also presented the class with a certificate of appreciation from the United States Air Force for their patriotism and support, as well as an American flag that was flown in honor of the class by the Indiana National Guard on an A-10 Warthog while on a mission.