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Nick Boetel, 12, (above) laughs Friday after his friend Thomas Wiebe, 11, gives him a large bag of beef jerky during Patty Poore’s fifth-grade Valentine’s Day party at Root Elementary School in Fayetteville. Thomas gave everyone in class a bag of beef jerky, but reserved the largest bag for Nick. The students exchanged cards and candy before receiving snacks. (Right) Kennedy Blair, 11, from left, Madeline Graves, 10, and Elisabeth Johnson, 10, chat and eat candy Friday during the party.