Hearts Across America: Richfield STEM Students Connect Coast to Coast

At Richfield STEM Elementary, a giant map in the hallway is slowly filling up with color. On February 1, the school launched "Hearts Across America," a simple challenge to see if they could get mail from all 50 states.

The kids have been reaching out to family and friends across the country, and the response has been incredible. In just over two weeks, more than 90 postcards and letters have arrived from 36 different states.

Each delivery becomes a geography lesson as students learn where the postcard or letter came from. The cards are being scanned into a folder so teachers can pull them up on SmartBoards to read as a class, zoom in on landmarks, and discuss the different climates and the fun facts people have shared. While the physical cards are passed around in class, they’ll eventually be sent home as keepsakes for the students.

In an especially exciting delivery, students received a care package from the Boston Bruins hockey team! The package included posters of NHL players who grew up in Minnesota. They also received a handwritten letter from Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to check off their “Minnesota” state! 

We’re still looking to fill in the gaps on our map. We haven't heard from 14 states, including Alabama, Delaware, Georgia, Maine, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Vermont and a few others, yet – though the students are happy to get mail from anywhere, even if the state is already checked off.

Want to help us finish the map? Send a postcard to: 

R-STEM Elementary 
(Attn: Hearts Across America) 
7020 12th Ave S. 
Richfield, MN 55423