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Bossier City, Shreveport Navy Week

Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class John Hetherington | 150429-N-DC740-161 SHREVEPORT, La. (April 29, 2015) Musician 3rd Class Andrea Pharis,...... read more read more

SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA, UNITED STATES

04.29.2015

Courtesy Story

Navy Office of Community Outreach

SHREVEPORT, La. - Plain Dealing High School, with a student body of approximately 250 students in grades 6-12, in Plain Dealing, Louisiana, welcomed a diverse group of Sailors from the Navy’s special warfare, recruiting, reserve and music communities April 29.

As part of the Bossier City, Shreveport Navy Week, which kicked off Monday, the event featured a performance by the U.S. Navy Parachute Team “The Leapfrogs,” a concert by Navy Band Southwest, a presentation by Sailors from America’s oldest commissioned warship, USS Constitution, as well as Navy divers and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technicians demonstrating some of their equipment.

“The biggest event that usually happens here is basketball, because this is a basketball school,” said Sandrina Isebaert, school principal. “We were back-to-back state champions for girls a few years ago. Up until today, that was the biggest thing to happen here, but now I think this is.”

Members of the student body were excited with the variety of events offered.

“I think they were great, something different here at the school,” said Dalton Cook, a senior and student worker at Plain Dealing. “We don’t get a lot of activities here, so having the Navy Band come up, to see the EOD, and then to see the jump team, that was great.”

Cook was pleased with the new horizons this event opened for his fellow students.

“I think it’s just great for the students to see other options than just what they think is here,” said Cook. “You can leave, go join the Army, join the Navy, see a little bit more than just what’s here.”

Principal Isebaert felt the event would have a lasting impact on not just the school, but the town as a whole.

“This is a very small town, nothing much happens here so for them it’s something that they’ve never seen before,” said Isebaert. “I can’t tell you how proud we are and how thankful we are that everyone came today, because it’s really going to be a day that we remember for the rest of our lives.”

Cook was grateful for the opportunity offered to his school.

“I think it’s great that even small schools get a chance to see what’s out there besides what’s around them daily,” said Cook.

Isebaert closed with a warm, open invitation to the Sailors.

“Y’all can come every day,” said Isebaert. “All you have to do is call and come any time you want. We’ll make it happen.”

Navy Weeks focus a variety of assets, equipment and personnel on a single city for a weeklong series of engagements designed to bring America’s Navy closer to the people it protects in cities that don’t have a large naval presence.