14 ACTS OF KINDNESS
Holy Trinity students send 150 cards to
WWII vet celebrating 100th birthday
QUEENS WEEKLY, MARCH 10, 2019
If you know someone who has performed
an act of kindness, contact us via email at
timesledgernews@schnepsmedia.com.
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
Holy Trinity Catholic
Academy students in
Whitestone created and
mailed 150 heartwarming
birthdays cards filled with
well wishes and gratitude
to a World War II veteran
in Texas who requested
100 cards for his 100th
birthday.
Joe Cuba, a resident at
Brookdale Midwestern in
Wichita Falls, Texas, will
be celebrating his centennial
birthday on March
2, opening up stacks of
mail sent to him from
across the globe, after
his request went viral on
social media.
A photo showing Cuba
with a sign that read, “I’m
a WWII veteran who will
be turning 100 on March 2,
2019. I would like to receive
100 birthday cards,” has
been shared hundreds and
thousands of times.
According to reports,
Cuba has received more
than 2,500 birthday cards
and over 100 gifts from
countries like Australia
and Poland.
Parent Hanniah Upton
saw Cuba’s request online
and shared the Instagram
post with Holy Trinity Catholic
Academy Principal Barbara
Kavanaugh. Known
for their acts of kindness
giving back to the community,
students from pre-K to
eighth grade began working
on cards for the veteran.
“I really liked doing
this because we were writing
to someone that risked
their life for us, so making
a card for him seemed
like the right thing to
do,” said second-grader
Creed Upton.
“I thought it was interesting
that we were able
to connect with someone
who had done such
monumental work and
has had such a rich, long
Students created and mailed a box of 150 birthday cards for a World War II veteran celebrating his 100th birthday on March 2.
Photos courtesy of Holy Trinity Catholic Academy
life,” said eighth-grader
Finn Cervino.
According to Kavanaugh,
beyond the rigor of math,
ELA, and the other core subjects,
the school’s mission to
help students be people of
service to others.
“Taking time to bring
joy to a deserving veteran,
among other acts
of kindness, is what sets
our students apart,” said
Kavanaugh. “I read many
of their cards and was so
touched by their words of
gratitude to Joe for his dedicated
service to our country
and for reaching this
wonderful milestone.”
It’s not the first time Holy
Trinity Catholic Academy
has participated in an acts
of kindness project, said
Principal Upton.
“Every winter since I’ve
been to that school, we have
a mitten tree with scarves
and hats for the poor,” said
Upton. “They’re also collecting
food for the soup kitchen.
It’s always think outside
of yourself.”
According to Upton, the
students are learning the
concept of giving back to
their community from the
age of 3 until eighth grade.
Many of the students are
involved in clubs known
as Mission Very Possible
(MVP) and Vision in Progress
(VIP), where children
get together every Sunday
and go out to purchase
food or clothes, to help the
less fortunate.
“This project with the
veterans is one of many
things the kids do. It’s important
that the kids get this
kind of education — not just
reading and writing,” said
Upton. “Hopefully by the
time they’re adults, they’re
showing other people kindness,
it’s a dream of the
principal.”
When Kavanaugh asked
eighth-grader Brandon
Pabon why they choose to
help others, he said, “We’re
Catholic. It’s what we do.”
Kavanaugh added,
“The next morning his
classmate, Nysa Asad, presented
me with a beautiful
poster echoing Brandon’s
words. It is times like this
that I know the parents,
teachers, and I have done
our jobs.”
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