Published: June 13, 2009 01:26 am      

SCHOOLS: Roy-Hart students learn through a conversation from Iraq

MIDDLEPORT— Elizabeth Ragonese was very anxious about Friday morning.

The Royalton-Hartland Middle School sixth-grader was going to see her uncle, even though he was serving in the Army overseas in Iraq.

But the distance wouldn’t be a problem for Ragonese.

Using Skype software, microphones, speakers. a projector and a Webcam, Ragonese and her fellow students could speak with Lt. Col. Steve Kneeland.

“I was super excited all morning,” Ragonese said. “I haven’t talked to him in a while, so to hear his voice again was awesome.”

During their lunch periods, Roy-Hart middle-schoolers had the chance to speak with Kneeland, a helicopter pilot and West Point graduate. Students asked the 17-year military man questions ranging from what Iraq was like, to what his day is usually like. Kneeland told the kids he works a lot, with his day starting around 10 a.m. and not finishing until about 1 a.m. Kneeland will be in Iraq until about October.

Kneeland said Iraq is very different from the United States. The geography of the area is dominated by sand and desert-style farmland, with little vegetation except near waterways. And where he is stationed, soldiers have access to e-mail and college classes, as well as a gym. On the base, there is a Pizza Hut, Burger King and a Starbucks.

Sixth-graders Troy Lawson and Donald Swanson were eager to ask Kneeland a question.

Lawson said he asked the Army officer what his favorite piece of equipment was.

“He said his Black Hawk (helicopter),” Lawson said. “This was pretty cool.”

“We got to learn different things,” Swanson said. “I asked him what he liked best about being in Iraq. He said flying the helicopters.”

Skype software allows people to make video phone calls over the Internet. Roy-Hart’s phone call began with Elizabeth seeing pictures of a “Flat Stanley” that a soldier took all over the same Army base Kneeland is stationed at. Flat Stanley is the title character of a children’s book that has been used as a writing project for school kids. The students make pictures of the character and keep a journal about his travels as a visiting guest. This particular Flat Stanley was given to the soldier from a school in Florida — and Elizabeth wanted to do something similar.

“I thought it was a cool idea and I wanted to do it, too,” she said. “Everybody, the school, Mr. Fisgus, were all for it.”

The idea became writing letters to the base, then the idea for the Skype call was raised. Social Studies teacher Dan Verdi, English teacher Jill Jenkins and district technology director Charlotte Doerfel worked together to get the equipment together. Principal John Fisgus was fully behind it, Verdi said.

“A lot of people made this happen,” he said. “It’s great for the kids in the area who have relatives overseas to see this.”

Aside from the students and staff members present, Kneeland’s father, Oliver, was also at Roy-Hart Friday. He was able to speak to his son before the sixth-graders did, as well as in between lunch periods.

“The last time I talked to him was around Christmas with the whole family,” Oliver Kneeland said. “This is amazing.”

Contact reporter Joe Olenick at 439-9222, ext. 6241.