THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT — Eighth-grade students in Jamie McGinnis’s English class at Catholic Central High School were asked to write letters to soldiers stationed in Okinawa, Japan, during the Christmas holiday. The messages were penned to express appreciation and informing the military men and women they are being thought of and remembered. Little did the students know their letters would be answered, along with Japanese gifts consisting of toys, candy and photographs. -- Contributed

STEUBENVILLE — It began simply enough inside an eighth-grade English class at Steubenville Catholic Central High School.

The scratch of pencils on paper, the clicking of keyboards on laptops.

These are typically the usual indicators of an every day standard assignment.

But for Sofia Kissinger, this particular lesson wasn’t about grammar or syntax.

It was completely about heart, about empathy.

CARE PACKAGE — Sophia Kissinger, left, and Lulu Clum, were among the eighth-graders who received a care package from Marines in Okinawa, Japan, following Christmas break. Kissinger began the project, wanting to write to her aunt who is stationed there. Students received items which included MREs, candy, patches and toys. -- Contributed

Kissinger had never imagined that when she mentioned the reality of her Aunt Miranda’s life as a gunnery sergeant in the Marines, that it would lead to transforming a quiet classroom moment into a specific kind of magic.

One that would span the vastness of the Pacific.

One that would build a bridge from a seventh-period English class in Ohio to several homesick soldiers stationed thousands of miles away in Okinawa, Japan.

Kissinger had shared with her classmates and English teacher, Jamie McGinnis, a small portion of her story.

It was a few weeks before Christmas when she spoke of the distance that separated her and her aunt.

STUDENTS RECEIVE REPLY — Eighth-grade students in Jamie McGinnis’s seventh-period English class at Catholic Central High School received letters and more as part of a care package sent as a token of appreciation from Marines stationed in Okinawa, Japan. Students, including from left, Gia DiGristina, Olivia Hoover and Evey Bowers, wrote to the Marines before Christmas. -- Contributed

And not just in miles.

There is a small, quiet heartache that settles within the men and women in the military, serving overseas, separated from the ones they love.

That hurt can be especially agonizing when the remainder of the world is draped in holiday lights.

Kissinger’s words were a vulnerable observation that deeply resonated with her teacher.

McGinnis recognized that the best lessons are not always found within the pages of a textbook.

So, when her eighth-grader asked if the class could send a piece of home to those Marines stationed in Japan, her answer wasn’t just a “yes.”

It was an invitation to her students to witness the power of what the written word can do.

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, those seventh-period students became more than just pupils.

They became lifelines.

They poured their curiosity and their kindness into letters.

They asked these Marines about the daily rhythm of life in Okinawa, the weight of wearing the uniform so far away from family.

They wrote with the unfiltered sincerity that only middle schoolers can summon.

Their words were sent across the ocean like tiny paper boats, each carrying a little of the city’s warmth during Christmastime.

As the holidays passed, the students returned to their normal routine in the new year.

That connection between them and those soldiers felt as if it was a beautiful, finished chapter in their lives.

That is, until a heavy, tape-sealed box arrived from Okinawa … bearing the marks of a long journey and the unmistakable energy of a grateful response.

When McGinnis opened the box, the classroom was suddenly filled with more than just air.

It became occupied with the tangible evidence of a conversation.

There were postcards.

There were handwritten notes and photos.

Each piece of paper was from a Marine who had taken the time to answer every single question asked of them.

They had treated the students’ curiosity with the utmost respect and the gravity it deserved. But there was more.

The box was a treasure of cultural exchange.

It overflowed with Japanese candy, toys and the useful curiosity of military MREs or ready-to-eat meals used by those in the Armed Forces.

As students gathered to share with one another the reading of postcards and the words written by service members, the distance between their classroom and that military base … it seemed to vanish entirely.

It was a moment of profound realization for these young writers.

They were witnessing firsthand that their pens held the power to make a stranger feel remembered and to make a hero feel less alone.

On one sheet of paper was three photos sent by Cpl. Joshua Arroyo.

One photo showed him climbing a hillside, while another was a photo of a Japanese meal he was eating in a restaurant.

Another photo showed a group of friends standing alongside the ocean.

These were personal pictures Arroyo chose to share with the students.

For he considered this to be his way of connecting with each teenager, letting them get to know him on a more personal level.

Arroyo’s letter read: “Hello! My name is Corporal Joshua Arroyo and I am 21 years old. I’ve been in the military for about three years so far and it has taught me new ways to help people and to become a better person. I work on taking care of the equipment to fix the aircraft. I love taking pictures with my cool camera, exploring the Japanese city, spending time with my friends, spending time with God, reading my Bible and playing basketball. I also like video games like Fortnite and I like to play Zero Build. I’m planning to travel to Tokyo soon and explore more of Japan. Thank you for your cool gifts and snacks and have a wonderful day!”

Kissinger’s aunt wrote to the class, including three photos on her sheet of paper. One photo showed some of the Marines dressed in Santa Claus suits, while another showed a very small tree with a couple of small presents underneath.

In Miranda’s letter, she wrote: “Hello everyone! I am Gunnery Sergeant Miranda, Sophia’s aunt and I’m 36 and have a fluffy little cat at home named Macchiato (Maki for short.) I’ve been with the Marine Corps almost 17 years, mostly worked on H-1 helicopters but spent three years working at different embassies around the world and another three years as a drill instructor on Parris Island. The most challenging part is always finding balance between work and family. The best part is having so many opportunities to travel the world and meet amazing people from all walks of life. I’ve now been to six continents and 25 countries. Thank you so much for your letters and treats. I hope you’ll enjoy the treats we’ve sent back. Since y’all had so many wonderful questions, we wrote back as one, just like we train, ‘One Team, One Fight.’ P.S. The coffee is for the exceptional teachers y’all have as a thank-you for their hard work and dedication.”

Watching the students’ faces light up as they sampled their foreign snacks, each holding letters from real people serving our country, it became clear this wasn’t just about a project.

It was a testament to the Central spirit.

It was a reminder of how compassion and curiosity can be the two greatest tools we can give to children.

As McGinnis reflected on the experience, she explained the students finally saw writing for what it truly is: A vessel for connection.

McGinnis said of the project, “It helped students see that writing isn’t just an assignment. It can make someone far from home feel remembered.”

“We read and shared the postcards together in English class, making the experience even more meaningful, as students saw their own questions answered by real people serving our country,” she continued. “It was a powerful reminder that writing creates connection and kindess can truly travel across the world. We are incredibly proud of our students’ compassion and curiosity, and deeply thankful to our troops for their service.”

In a world that often feels fractured and fast-paced, these eighth-graders and a group of Marines thousands of miles away proved that kindness is a universal language.

It also proved that no matter how far away we may wander, a simple letter can always find its way back home.