Students hold some of the 150 Valentine’s Day cards art teacher Connie Stuart had first and second graders at Alma and Mary Bramlett elementary schools create to help with a “Hearts 4 Kids” program sponsored by His Radio station in Greenville. The station will distribute the cards on Valentine’s Day to help brighten the day of children in the hospital. Candy and cards are often passed around in schools every Valentine’s Day.

Art teacher Connie Stuart chose a different way for students to celebrate the holiday when her first and second grade classes designed their own cards for children who will be spending that day in the hospital. She mailed 150 Valentine’s Day cards this week so they can be delivered in a “Hearts 4 Kids” program sponsored by radio station WLFJ in Greenville.

Better known as His Radio, the Christian radio station asked listeners in the Upstate to create a custom Valentine’s Day card so young children in the hospital can receive a special word of encouragement.

Stuart found out about the program while listening to His Radio. She felt it would be a great way her Alma and Mary Bramlett elementary students could use their artistic talents to brighten the day of sick children.

“When the assignment was presented to the first and second grades, the students enthusiastically went to work,” Stuart said. “They worked hard to ensure their best efforts were being sent forth. Between the two schools, I was able to collect over 150 cards to hand out to the children. The cards from the students expressed their sympathy and good wishes for the children in the hospital.”

The cards for the “Hearts 4 Kids” project were due Monday at His Radio so the radio station would have time to distribute them.

Stuart would like to expand the project to additional grades so more students can be involved next year.

“I was really pleased with the number of cards we were able to send out this year,” Stuart said. “One thing I will look at next year is seeing if older students in my art classes can design their own cards to help make Valentine’s Day special for more children.”