By: Barry Engelhardt

When I ask Ottawa second grader Mackson Halloway whether he can imagine himself in the Air Force one day, he instantly responds. His answer comes not in words but in actions. If I had looked away, I might have assumed he was lost in thought, seriously contemplating the question. But his wide grin and eager nodding make his response unmistakably clear, even without words. I see him grin widely and can almost envision his mind racing, dreaming of future adventures.

His head soon starts to nod up and down enthusiastically, catching up with his mind as if to confirm my interpretation. As I write this, I find it challenging to find words that adequately describe his look of excitement. "Childhood awe" seems as close as I can get. Quickly, my mind pivots to a second, equally important realization: I’m witnessing the power and importance of a positive role model.

Mackson is a middle child with an older and younger brother. His favorite subjects are math and reading. He shares that his favorite books to read are the "Dogman" series of graphic novels. He loves sports, especially baseball, and plays for the Ottawa Wolfpack Travel Ball squad. He typically plays shortstop and looks forward to next season’s transition to kid-pitch. He shares that he’s "more excited than nervous about the change," grinning confidently.

Mackson and the rest of Jefferson Elementary’s second-grade class recently participated in a pen-pal program. Each student was given the name and address of a military veteran and asked to write a letter expressing gratitude for their service. While every student expressed thanks and appreciation with the hope of making their assigned veteran feel valued, seen, and respected, Mackson’s letter became the start of a cross-generational friendship with his veteran, Mr. Jay Less, a local Air Force veteran.

"I was going to student council, and we had to write a letter to a veteran, so I picked Mr. Jay Less," Mackson shares. He adds, "He really liked it, so he wanted to meet up with me. It was part of a class project. All the students wrote letters to veterans but didn’t become good friends like we did."

Mackson and Jay first met last year on Veteran’s Day. Mackson asked Jay about airplanes, and Jay regaled him with stories of his life, in and out of the military. Mackson shares that Jay brought him a gift, a baseball cap with the Air Force logo identical to the one Jay typically wears. Eventually, Jay called Mackson’s mother to ask if he could drop off some old, die-cast planes he’d found while cleaning. Once proudly displayed in Jay’s house, Mackson now enjoys playing with them while learning about different Air Force planes and their purposes.

Mackson shares that "my great-grandfather, whom I affectionately call 'pa-ap' and who is no longer with us," was in the service, but Jay is the only veteran he knows personally. He describes Jay as "nice, funny, and kind" and says he enjoys their time together. While he’s just beginning to learn about the military, he possesses a foundational knowledge of its importance that I find impressive for a child of any age. When asked about his greatest wish for the world, he pauses briefly before providing a simple, one-word response about what he prioritizes most—freedom.

This tale not only celebrates the dreams of a young boy but also underscores the profound impact of mentorship and the enduring value of freedom, as seen through the eyes of a child