Deployed dad inspires girl's patriotic art

"I love my daddy, can you bring him home."

When Keoneula Elementary kindergartner Tiare McConnell was asked to make a picture showing patriotism, she didn't hesitate to paint the biggest patriot she knows -- her father.

On her poster, next to an American flag and a man flying a helicopter toward a hospital, she wrote, "I love my daddy, can you bring him home."

Tiare's father, Chief Warrant Officer Christopher McConnell, is a pilot with C Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Aviation, part of the 25th Infantry Division, based at Wheeler Army Airfield and deployed in Iraq. This is his second deployment to Iraq and he isn't expected home until October or November, said his wife, Belinda.

Tiare's painting was one of the winning entries at the new Ewa Beach school's art contest honoring American troops.

The 5-year-old's face reflected her sadness when she spoke about her father being overseas. "Sometimes I cry because I miss him," she said.

"This deployment has really been hard for her," Belinda McConnell said. "The first deployment, she was almost 3, so she didn't fully understand. The older she gets, the more she understands, sees it on the news, and worries for her dad."

In addition to McConnell, 13 other students, two from each grade level, made winning posters. Each student was honored at the end-of-the-year assembly yesterday and received a booklet with all the winning entries and a $20 Jamba Juice gift card. The schoolwide art contest was sponsored by Ocean Pointe housing developer Haseko, which will send the original artwork to two units deployed to Iraq.

"I received about 400 posters," said Lisa Enanoria, Haseko's community relations coordinator.

Half of the posters will be sent to the 25th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Squadron, based at Wheeler Army Airfield, and the other half to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 262* -- the "Flying Tigers," based in Okinawa.

The winning entries also will be incorporated into a patriotic quilt featured in the 2007 "Flags of Freedom" traveling exhibit by Flags Across the Nation. Enanoria came up with the idea after reading about the traveling exhibit.

"I was trying to tie in some kind of patriotism project with our community," Enanoria said. "The easiest way was through the school. I also remember hearing that many of (Keoneula Elementary's) kids were military."

Keoneula Principal Eileen Hirota said 40 percent of the more than 500 students at the school are from military families.

Haseko treated the student body to Meadow Gold ice cream cups for their participation in the contest.

At the assembly, students were also acknowledged for perfect attendance and academic excellence.

Petty Officer 1st Class Gregory Tindle, the school's military partner, was also honored for helping the school with various functions throughout the year, including moving into classrooms, purchasing books and coaching the track and basketball teams.

"That's outstanding," Tindle said about the artwork the students made for the troops. "It gives (the troops) a sense that someone cares about them. It gives them inspiration."

CORRECTION Tuesday, June 12, 2007 MMH 262 -- "The Flying Tigers" unit, is based out of Okinawa. This article originally cited "Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361 -- the 'Flying Tigers.'"