Joe Imel/Daily NewsSpec. Kevin Brown, of Madisonville, talks to Casey Jo Doggett's students Wednesday at W.R. McNeill Elementary School. Doggett's class wrote to Brown while he was in Iraq. Brown and his family visited the school to say thank you.

W.R. McNeill Elementary School third-graders in Kasey Jo Doggett’s class raised their hands high Thursday, eager to share information with Army Spc. Kevin Brown and to ask him questions.

Brown, a Madisonville native, has been in Iraq for 14 months. The soldier, stationed in Kansas, is on leave and wanted to visit the class that has kept in touch with him through Christmas cards and letters.

“This is a surprise,” said Will Taylor, 9. “We didn’t know he was coming.”

Brown’s visit stemmed from a relationship between third-grader Ben Matthew’s mother, Amanda Young, and Brown’s mother. The two work together, Doggett said.

Doggett said last fall, the class was given an opportunity to send cards to Brown overseas.

“It was around Thanksgiving and Christmastime,” Brown said. “And to receive those was a nice way to lift spirits at that time. The one thing we have is mail to get news of what’s going on over here. So the kids thinking of me and the other soldiers was wonderful.”

After corresponding with the students, Brown said he wanted to come meet them.

Doggett also welcomed the visit. She said students seeing a face and a family involved with what’s going on in Iraq was a connection she wanted to make.

The students asked Brown questions ranging from what kind of clothes kids in Baghdad wore to how cold it got and if it snowed.

“It got to 25 degrees,” Brown said. “No (snow) stuck, but it did flurry.”

Third-grader Paul Lawrence asked Brown what kind of equipment he used while he was in Iraq.

“The biggest piece of equipment we used was night vision (goggles),” Brown said. “Most of the tasks we had were at night, so we always used those.”

The students also asked about the Iraqi children. Brown told the third-graders that the children over there weren’t as fortunate, but they attend schools just like American children, “and they play outside all the time.”

“This was cool,” said third-grader Danielle Horton, 9. “I enjoyed his visit … he got to help all the little kids over there.”

As part of his visit, Doggett said the class put together a book for him titled “Because You Serve.” She said the book contains “I Can” statements from the students – all the things they can do because he’s serving his country.

Brown, however, was a little worried at first that he was not going to make it to the school, having just received directions to get to McNeill shortly before his visit.

“I really wanted to come,” he said.

Brown, who will transfer to Fort Campbell in November, arrived at McNeill with his wife and three children.

“He wanted to come say ‘thank you,’ ” said Sandra Brown, his wife. “This was wonderful. It let him know he’s appreciated, and that kids other than his own look up to him.”