CEDAR FALLS - When Lynne Ensworth found out she was going on a mission to take supplies to Nicaragua, she enlisted some special help.

Ensworth, an elementary curriculum and instruction instructor at the University of Northern Iowa, got the help of her UNI students to gather children's books, written in Spanish, which will be delivered to a Nicaraguan school.

She also hooked up with a fifth-grade Spanish class from Price Laboratory School, where the children wrote letters in Spanish to children of the same age at the school in Nicaragua.

Ensworth left Sunday with 15 Northeast Iowans making the trip to Chinandega, Nicaragua, where 3,000 shoe boxes filled with school supplies, games, toys and clothes will be delivered on behalf of Rotary International. Three years ago, Waterloo Rotarians Steve Thorpe and Dave Buck began the project to send supplies to the economically depressed area.

"I was looking for a way to get university students and the elementary students involved," Ensworth said. "I came to (PLS Spanish teacher) Sara Blanco and asked if her students would be able to write a little in Spanish, and I could deliver the letters to kids in Nicaragua."

Blanco and her students enthusiastically took part.

Pictures of the writers were attached to the letters, many of which also included drawings and cartoons from the kids.

"They were very excited to communicate with another child in another country," Blanco said of her fifth-graders. "They're getting to the point where they're starting to think about the world, and it was an opportunity for them to learn a little bit about Nicaragua."

In her letter, fifth-grader Jaren Bergman wrote about her hobbies and pets.

"I hope someone's able to write back to me," she said.

Ensworth's elementary education students at UNI are able to earn points by ordering books. Ensworth asked if they would be willing to use those points to purchase and donate children's books written. Again, her request was met with a positive response.

"We always like being involved with elementary students," said UNI junior Hannah Anderson. "It gives us ideas for teaching projects."

The books will be a welcome addition at their destination.

"They don't have what we have available here," Blanco said. "There's not a market like we have here for children's literature."

Ensworth was invited to go on the trip just a few weeks ago.

"I'm hoping we can get in on this a little sooner next year," she said. "It's a good service project."

Terry Hudson can be contacted at (319) 291-1405 or terry.hudson@wcfcourier.com.