Flat Stanley Departs from Belmar

They say that every journey begins with the smallest step.

For students from St. Rose Grammar School in Belmar, a trip across the country began with a few steps to the Belmar Post Office.

Students in Mary Burns' third grade class recently took the first step in an educational journey throughout the United States by participating in the Flat Stanley project.

Inspired by Jeff Brown's children's book Flat Stanley, the students will learn about numerous communities throughout the country through the project. Each child created their own Flat Stanley, which was then mailed to friends or family in different parts of the nation.

Each Stanley is sent with a travel journal and a request to take photos of him  in front of landmarks or other special places. The students will track their Stanley's journey until January, when they will return home.