Through pictures, photographs and brief messages, seventh graders at Dartmouth Middle School gave thanks to those who served.

On Jan. 20, a group of students presented members of Dartmouth’s VFW Post 9059 with a large paper banner signed by classmates as a thank you for their military service.

The impetus for the gesture was a short story. Students in Paul Leconte’s English classes have been reading “Zebra” by Chaim Potok.

“‘Zebra’ was about a boy who liked to run a lot, but he was hit by a car, so he couldn’t run anymore,” seventh grader Emerson Clarke, 13, explained. “A man named John found him and wanted to teach art at his school. Zebra decided to take the class, and it helped him find something else to do.”

The character John is both a Vietnam veteran and an artist.

“He has kids create art as therapy,” said Leconte. “When he’s done, he brings the art to the Vietnam memorial wall out of respect for one of his friends who died over there. We started talking about memorials and what we can do to say thank you. We came up with the idea of the banner, as kind of our own wall.”

Students were asked to sort through their own family history to see if they were related to any veterans. Students could also contribute patriotic drawings to the banner.

Six members of the VFW were present to greet the kids and accept the poster: Joan Rogers, Heather Gauthier, Cathy Ormonde, Thomas Imbeau, Jim Collins and Norman Barrett.

“[Imbeau] said that they’re going to hang it up, and I’m going to take a picture when they do because [the students] like to see that completion – knowing what they do extends farther than these doors,” said Leconte.

Clarke contributed several photos to the project, included pictures of her great-great grandmother, great-great grandfather and her great grandmother from World War II.

“My great-great grandmother was kind of like Rosie the Riveter. She helped make stuff,” she said. “It was cool to figure out where they were from and what they did at that time.”

“There’s one photo of my great-great grandfather and my great-great grandmother, sitting at a table and meeting. They met in the war,” she added.

Justice Rodrigues, 13, was also able to contribute photographs. He said his dad helped him with the project, and he was unaware of his familial connections to the war. He said it made him feel good to know he had family members who have served the country.

“I think they did an excellent job. We’re very proud of them,” said Rogers.

The VFW raises money for veterans and their families and hosts monthly fundraisers. On Jan. 30, the group will be holding a spaghetti dinner to benefit the O’Connor-Sisson House, the upcoming low-income veterans’ house on Route 6.