KAILUA — Eighth-grade social studies students at Kailua Intermediate School are taking community service to an international level, collecting teddy bears and soccer balls for the children in Iraq.

Kathleen Nullet's two gifted and talented classes decided that sending the bears and balls was better than picking up trash on the beach.

In their class last week the students prepared for a collection drive that would culminate with a drop-off of donations from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 22 at the school, 145 S. Kainalu Drive. They prepared fliers, researched Iraq, made a list of possible donors and wrote up scripts to use when talking to people on the telephone.

Many of the 13-year-old students may be past the teddy bear stage, but they're young enough to remember the comfort these stuffed animals can bring. Also they know the joy of playing a sport, so they're hoping their gesture of aloha will offer comfort and change the view Iraqi children might have toward Americans.

"We're trying to show a different side of us," said Brittany Traylor, 13. "We don't want them to think we're just cruel and evil. We want them to think in a different way. I want them to think of us in a good way not a bad way."

The goal is to collect about $800 for shipping and handling and 250 soccer balls, stuffed bears or camels. No dogs or pigs please, because they may be considered offensive, said Noelle Owens, 13. Also students must be careful about flags and symbols attached to the animals.

Each student's goal is to collect four items and $5, but they are not to use their own money, Owens said, adding that the idea is to get others to donate.

"You're suppose to ask people, neighbors that you know," she said. "When you ask five people for $1 or an animal it doesn't seem like that much."

Caitlyn Brown, 13, said the students are "pumped" about the project and are working harder than usual because they want to make a good impression, and they want to help the Iraqi children get through a tough time.

"I think this is a great idea because it helps show another side of America, not just the military," Brown said, adding that Marines, including her father, have told her stories about life in the war zone. "I heard they sometimes play with rocks as soccer balls."

Sarah Lareaux, 13, said the project allows the students to give back in a significant way while learning to run the project and handle the problems.

"They seem really into it because we feel like we're actually doing something," said Lareaux, a class coordinator. "We're not just doing a school project, and we feel like we're in charge."

Teacher Nullet said the project, while humanitarian in nature, also fulfills citizenship and participation standards students must complete.

The teenagers are also involved in interdisciplinary learning where the math and English teachers work on aspects of the project with the students.

Nullet said the students are excited about the project because of its many facets and its relevance to what's happening in the world.

"That's what we do in middle school," she said. "We try to make it a little more real life."

Math teacher Robert Hughes said the project is a good teaching tool because it gives students real issues to resolve, such as how many boxes they will need to ship the balls and animals. As a teacher Hughes said he could have made up a similar problem like selling balls at a store but the students wouldn't react the same way.

"That's a made-up problem, but this is their problem," he said. "And because it's their problem I think there's an advantage. There's a buy-in to say, 'OK we have to do the math right.' "

Ittai Wong, 13, said, "We're doing this for ourselves and to help students around the world that aren't as privileged as us. With the war going on, this is going to help them out, get their lives back in order. It's to get their minds out of the war."

Erin Murphy, 13, said she understands that the project fulfills certain school requirements but she thinks the students are motivated for other reasons.

"There's bombs going off and there's so much terror and fright in those kids' lives," said Murphy, who helps coordinate the two classes. "We can give them a little stuffed animal, and it may not be sufficient, but it may help them realize there are people out there who care about them."

The Kailua students drew their inspiration from a similar project done by Colorado students that they leaned about from state Rep. Cynthia Thielen, R-50th (Kailua, Mokapu).

Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com.