Dear Editor:

We need your help! We are the Anselmo-Merna fourth grade class. The kids in our class are 9 or 10 years old. Our home is in Custer County, which is in rural central Nebraska. The school has students from two towns and the surrounding farming and ranching area. Our school has about 180 students in pre-K through 12th grade and 21 students in fourth grade.

The fourth graders want to learn about what life is like in other states and areas of the country. We are doing a project with our third grade class called the States Fair. Each of us is researching a state and will be presenting our learning in May at our States Fair. Our teachers wanted to help us make researching more interesting by contacting chambers of commerce and newspapers in various states and asking readers for help.

We are hoping that you, the readers of local newspapers, or leaders of chambers of commerce, can mail us artifacts from your state. Some examples of things you could send are brochures, pamphlets, pictures, non-perishable products unique to your area, leaves from native plants, small rocks or shells, or other small items. We are excited to learn about your area and it will mean more to us if you help us out by sending us a few items. We would like to have our items by May first. Thank you for your help! We look forward to hearing from you!

Anselmo-Merna Public Schools
Attn: Fourth Grade Class
750 N. Conway St.
Merna, NE 68856