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So it was equally cool to him when he recently got correspondence from Specialist Robert Clason, a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C., who responded back last week from a letter the Mayfield Elementary School third-grader wrote.

Quill, a student in Joshua Back's class, just moved to Michigan from Florida and was thrilled to get the response from the soldier. Clason ended his letter "Continue to do your best in school and you can be anything you want to be."

"I want to be an Army guy," said the third-grader. "I want to fight for our country. I like computers a lot and tanks. I can't wait to jump out of a parachute. I feel God gave me my chance."

Quill noted Clason included his address in his letter. Quill said he planned on writing the soldier back again.

Mayfield students recently wrote to American troops in Iraq, and three students received replies. Those students along with Quill were Anya Byerli, and Andrew Fish.

Byerli, a fifth-grader in Jessica Oliver's class, said she was "happy" to get a letter and photo of his platoon from a soldier who signed his name only as Capt. George.

"I wrote we were praying for them," she said. "I wrote they were all our heroes and thank-you for everything they do. He thanked me for the letter and for having them in our prayers."

In the letter she got back from Capt. George, he wrote: "Happy holidays, Thank-you so much Anya. That was special, as you are special. This is a picture of my team and I for your school. We are praying for you all as well. Keep your head in those books, because education is important. Best regards, Capt. George."

Byerli said she really liked the assignment and was the only student in her class to get a letter in response.

Fish, 11, a sixth-grader, said they had to write a few drafts of their letters that were sent to troops. "I got a letter back this week from Master Sgt. Daniels. He said thank-you for the letter and you couldn't dig a hole because it's so sandy there it just fills back up. They'd watch videos and listen to music on iPods."

Fish also liked the assignment except for one part. "The only problem was I had to write and I don't like writing that much," he said.

Laura Novak, a Mayfield third-grade teacher, said the whole school wrote letters and sent cards to troops who were away from families during the holidays.

"It was a school-wide thing," she said. "One of my kids, Devin Quill, got a letter back and he was very excited. We did it for patriotism. (The man who wrote Quill) was a paratrooper and ended up sending Devin some pictures too. To see him in his full garb was cool. Devin was really excited and it was a positive letter."

Jennifer Decker can be reached at 664-0811, Ext. 8125 or jennifer.decker@lapeergroup.com