Arcadia Students Roll Out of Bed in Gratitude to Soldiers

Arcadia High School students walked eagerly in their onesies, pajama pants, and robes towards a cramped table in the center of campus, all leaving with a grin plastered on their face. Although Spirit Week is the bustling week before the winter break, the Arcadia High School student’s school spirit still soared as they wrote letters to soldiers in their “Holiday Morning” attire.

Arcadia High is amongst the first to host an event in honoring active soldiers and veterans as part of an all school activity. The ASB and Arcadia High Young Democrats teamed together to host an event from Operation Gratitude, a nonprofit organize that sends care packages and letters to military personnel. Despite being the very first Winter spirit week at Arcadia High, Arcadia is setting an example for other schools to be more active in not only their community but their nation. It is paving the way to a more active and involved youth segment that seems to have become less empathetic since the 1980s, and drastically in the last decade according to a recent publication from University of Michigan Ann Arbor’s Personality and Social Psychology Review.

Arcadia high freshmen to seniors seemed to be an exception to the study as they hand wrote each letter giving appreciation to the people that are often overlooked by others in making America free and protected. This act may be small, but one person’s suggestion for Operation Gratitude led to a ripple effect. Not only were students writing letter but faculty and staff did as well.

“We should host more events like this” Dr. Forsee, the Principal of nearly 4,000 Arcadia High School students, said, as he joined alongside the crowd of students in writing a letter.
The holidays are known to lure out the best in everyone, so if you could spare a few minutes of your day, please visit https://www.operationgratitude.com/ for more information on spreading the ripple of gratitude.

Written and photos taken by Ashley Chen, AUSD-DCI intern