From Dateline (March 27, 2003)

Campus Celebrates Cesar Chavez With Letters to U.S. troops
by Susan katsaros

Elementary students will be on campus April 8 to send 500 handwritten letters to U.S.S. Nimitz crewmembers as part of Cesar Chavez Day celebrations.

The Cesar Chavez Heroes Project, funded by a $72,000 Governor's Office of Service and Volunteerism award, involves kindergarten through sixth grade children from the Anaheim Achieves program, and fifth and sixth graders from Ruby Drive and Hurley elementary schools. The completed cards and letters will be presented to Michaelle Munger, ROTC captain and coordinator of the writing campaign effort.

“The Cesar Chavez value of 'sacrifice' will be the primary focus of the activity and reflection for the children,” said Jeannie Kim-Han, director of the Center for Community Service-Learning. “Given the current situation, this service project seems to be a very appropriate way to understand what Cesar Chavez stood for, the sacrifices he made for his people and the sacrifices our men and women of the armed forces are making for us and our country.”

The children will tour the campus, visit classrooms and observe a demonstration of ROTC maneuvers and training, as well as read cards written by fellow students.