LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Middle school students from Hardin County who collected and donated thousands of items to help children diagnosed with cancer got a huge surprise as they were delivering those care packages. 

The effort, from start to end, was entirely student-led, with students from James T. Alton Middle School gathering the donations themselves and then delivering hundreds of care packages to the Brown Cancer Center on Jackson Street in downtown Louisville Friday morning. 

They didn't know Kentucky Lt. Governor Jacqueline Coleman, the state leader who inspired their mission, would be there to greet them in person. 

Coleman said when she became aware of what the students were up to, she felt compelled to be there. 

"When I found out these Alton Middle School students from Hardin County were putting together cancer packages for cancer patients, and they named it 'Coleman's Mission,' I said I have to go meet them."

Students were absolutely speechless Coleman walked in the room after they had unloaded dozens of boxes with 600 care packages for children and patients fighting cancer.

The care packages contained various items like art supplies, coloring books, little snacks, candy and stuffed animals.

Teachers at Alton Middle School say students came to them with the idea. They had learned how Coleman had a double mastectomy after finding out she had a high risk for breast cancer, and they wanted to do something to help others battling the disease. 

"We wanted to help and show awareness towards these people and wanted to show our support towards them," said 8th grader Kiley Wells. 

The students started gathering donations back in December, and even wrote letters of support to the lieutenant governor in that time.

During Coleman's visit on Friday, she named one of the teachers -- Richard Rowland -- a Kentucky Colonel for helping the students. Rowland said he only made the calls, and the students did everything else.

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