Task Force Warhawg Supports Student Literacy

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Alyn-Michael Macleod | Staff Sgt. Robert Baker from Task Force Warhawg assists students from Collins Elementary School at the paper mache project station during the "Around the World in 36 Weeks: Reading is Fundamental Distribution" on May 15 as part of the Partners in Education Program. Task Force Warhawg is currently a member of the Partner in Education Program which is designed to enhance, enrich, support, encourage and offer expertise to students. Task Force Warhawg is responsible for training Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines in Urban Operations, Close Quarters Combat, Familiarization and Qualification on multiple weapons systems in preparation for deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan at Camp McGregor, N.M.  

FORT BLISS, NEW MEXICO, UNITED STATES

06.02.2009

Story by Staff Sgt. Alyn-Michael Macleod 

1st Battalion, 360th Infantry Regiment

FORT BLISS - Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 360th Infantry Regiment "Task Force Warhawg" participated in the Collins Elementary School "Around the World in 36 Weeks: Reading is Fundamental Distribution" on May 15 as part of the Partners in Education Program.

The PIE program, which is designed to enhance, enrich, support, encourage and offer expertise to students. Fort Bliss partners with the El Paso Independent School District as one of more than 2,330 volunteer organizations in the community.

"We are having our RIF book distribution for the end of the year," explained James Horan, principal of Collins Elementary School. "We do three distributions a year and at the end of the year we do something a little extra special because the kids have been reading all year."

Elizabeth Jones, librarian for Collins Elementary spearheaded the idea for this year's theme: "Up, Up, and Away."

"The whole point is to help improve their [the students] literacy," Jones said.

According to Elizabeth Keith, Collins Elementary School Science teacher, students had to read books throughout the year to collect points. Once a student had collected enough points, they would be able to "visit" a different country using a hot air balloon.

Jones and Keith designed the events of the day so that every student from over 34 classrooms could participate. Designing for students from pre-kindergarten to 5th grade had its challenges, but in the end the stations were able to appeal to all ages of students.

Students were able to go to the RIF station, the Hot Air Balloon Story station, the Hot Air Science station, the Parachute Fun station, and the Paper Mache project station.

At the RIF station, the students were able to choose their two free books as a reward for all of their hard work, while at the Hot Air Balloon Story station they were able to relax and listen to the "WarHawg" Soldiers read books about hot air balloon adventures out loud to them.

The Hot Air Science station appealed to the academic importance of the day.

"With this [theme] we thought they needed a little science background so we did a quick video clip and some examples," Keith explained. "The whole thing should make them understand science and hot-air and how hot air balloons work."

After checking in on the practical side of hot air ballooning, the students were able to have some more fun as they participated in Parachute Fun where they played with a real parachute, and then went on to the Paper Mache Project where they were able to make and decorate hot air balloons to hang in the school cafeteria.

According to Keith, the biggest challenge was the limited amount of time the students had available. Her goal was to have activities that were quick enough to be done in about 10 minutes per station so the entire school could have time to go through each one.

"It was amazing," said Staff Sgt. Pasitale Lupeamanu, "It was nice to do this for the kids...I love it!"

When asked, Aedro Espinoca and Juan Hernandez, both 5th graders at Collins elementary said they liked to read fiction and fantasy and that their favorite station of the day was the parachute station because it was "fun" and they got to run around.

"We are committed to our Partner in Education Program with Collins Elementary School. It affords a unique opportunity for our Soldiers to interact with their local communities by spending quality time with elementary students, which are our nation's future leaders and future Armed Force's members. I truly enjoyed every minute of this day" said Lt. Col Christopher McElveen.

"I think it went well," commented Warhawg Sgt. Maj. Riley E. Woodworth who is new to the Partners in Education Program. "Anytime the Army can be involved with young people and help out the community at the same time to promote education and awareness for such an important program [RIF] everyone is a winner."

• Date Taken: 06.02.2009
• Date Posted: 06.02.2009 17:39
• Story ID: 34462
• Location: FORT BLISS, NEW MEXICO, US