Sending love to Sandy Hook

APPLETON - Some area school children are sending the students of Sandy Hook a heartfelt gift.  The 5th and 6th graders of Houdini Elementary School in Appleton wrote messages of support on paper hearts to send to Connecticut.

"We love you."  That's the message from Houdini Elementary School to the students of Sandy Hook in Newtown Connecticut and each interlocking heart has a special message.

6th grade teacher Melissa Rospenda says her brother and sister-in-law live in Newtown.

"It hit hard for us," said Rospenda.

Rospenda told FOX 11 hearing first-hand what the Connecticut community is going through made her want to do something.  So did her students and fellow teachers.

Beside the hearts, Rospenda's class made snowflakes to decorate the Sandy Hook student's new school.

"That shows that we care about them, that it's special and that there was love across the country put into this," said Rospenda.

The teachers say working on this project also helped the children at Houdini.

"I saw them process.  They were asking questions while they were doing this and trying to get their heads wrapped around this whole tragedy.  And I am very impressed with their desire to do this," said teacher Nancy Hallin.

And for students like Morgan Cust and Parker Wendt, reaching out across hundreds of miles was just the right thing to do.

"When you're going through something hard, you'd want someone to do that for you too," said Cust.

"It feels really, really good inside, like the Christmas spirit," said Wendt.

The teachers will sent the snowflakes and hearts after winter break.