TORRINGTON – It was the culmination Wednesday of a weeks-long project for the seventh-grade language arts students at Torrington Middle School.

And, there was bacon.

The students invited area veterans to breakfast in the school’s library as a way of saying “Thank you” for serving their country. The event also raised about $1,300 in donations, which will go toward textbook vouchers for veterans who’ve returned to school at Eastern Wyoming College here and Western Nebraska Community College in Scottsbluff, Neb., following their service.

One of those students, twice-deployed Army veteran Oscar Gonzalez, is studying secondary education currently at WNCC. Working a full-time job, going to school full time and raising six children, he said, stretches everything a little thin.

“This is wonderful,” Gonzales said. Even a little bit of assistance covering the cost of textbooks “really helps out.”

The seventh graders started working on the project in January, their teacher, Kelsey Empfield said. She routinely asks her classes to work on a service project, primarily of their choosing, each year. The start of the second semester and the service project coincided with learning about the ongoing war in the Middle East and the role of soldiers serving there.

What the students learned through their studies included the fact many returning veterans have a difficult time, financially, even with the G.I. Bill helping out while they transition back to something resembling a normal lifestyle. It’s particularly tough on veterans who become students, they learned, and the seed of an idea was planted.

The students organized into committees, from fundraising to cooking, gathering donations of food, paper plates and beverages, to greeting, serving and clean-up crews, Empfield said. They embraced the idea of the Veterans Banquet with both hands, Empfield said.

“I thought it was a great idea,” TMS Principal Marv Haiman said. Empfield and her students approached him to get the go-ahead with their plan several weeks ago.

“Anything we can do to honor our veterans is outstanding,” Haiman said. “And I think it sends a positive message for our students – they can be of service, too.”

In addition to breakfast, the morning featured student presentations. Empfield said later she was pleased with the turnout and the job her students had done.

Chris Wolf, assistant director of the Veterans Upward Bound program at WNCC in Scottsbluff, said she was thrilled when informed of the plans to provide the textbook vouchers to the students she works with. 

“A lot of our veterans are raising families, working a part-time job, while trying to go to school,” she said. “So, their plate is really full.

“Any time they can get even a little bit of help with textbooks or other expenses, it’s greatly appreciated,” Wolf said. “Plus, any chance we get to work with youth groups is quite an experience.”