Service Members Help Lighten Teachers Load During Servicing Our Schools Initiative

CHESAPEAKE, VA, UNITED STATES

Story by Katisha Draughn-Fraguada

Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads

Nearly 400 service members from across various commands volunteered during Naval Support Activity (NSA) Hampton Roads’ 4th Annual Servicing Our Schools Initiative on Aug 28.

These military members helped lighten the teachers’ loads by helping them set up their classrooms for the upcoming academic year. This effort allowed the teachers to focus on other responsibilities related to planning, developing and organizing student instructions and preparing for upcoming Family Open House events. 

“The Servicing Our Schools Initiative is an opportunity for our service members to give back to the local schools by volunteering their time and talents and assisting with preparations for the new school year,” said Tiffany Johnson, NSA Hampton Roads’ School Liaison Officer who coordinated the initiative. “Service members love to support our community schools and what better way for them to say thank you for the love and support teachers show to not only military children, but all children.” 

Sailors volunteered at 25 different elementary and middle schools in the city of Chesapeake during the initiative. Some of the tasks the volunteers helped with included preparing bulletin boards, sorting books, assembling student furniture, cutting out letters, organizing books for classroom libraries, and arranging furniture within classrooms.
“It means so much to the teachers to have extra hands to help us get the classrooms ready,” said Erika Wall, fourth grade Deep Creek Central Elementary School teacher. “It helps us to focus on our planning and our instruction.”

Service members who were dispersed throughout the various schools represented commands from across the Hampton Roads area.

“I was so excited to see the outpouring support from so many military commands. Last year we had roughly 180 volunteers,” said Johnson. “The numbers jumped to nearly 400 this year. Servicing Our Schools is such an awesome way to give back to the teachers who do so much for our children.” 

Aviation Electronics Technician 1st Class Lisa Ryan from Fleet Readiness Center Mid Atlantic Detachment Norfolk, spent the morning assembling furniture and making back-to-school goody bags, along with other tasks identified by the teachers. 

“I really enjoy helping out in the community and the schools,” said Ryan. “Helping these teachers is so important because they have a lot of work to do to set up their rooms and it’s great that we are able to come out and help them with that.”

Aviation Boatswain’s Mate Aircraft Handler Airman Shawna Alvarez, from the 1st Lieutenant Division at NSA Hampton Roads Headquarters, volunteered at Chittum Elementary School where she organized pamphlets, sharpened pencils, placed nametags on the desks, and set up bulletin boards.

“I thought it was a great opportunity to give back to the teachers who give so much to educating our children,” said Alvarez. 

Capt. Jonathan Kline, Commanding Officer of NSA Hampton Roads, also did his part in helping the teachers get ready for the upcoming school year. 

“The Hampton Roads area has always welcomed the military with open arms and we want to give back and say thank you to our partners in the community,” said Kline.

Within the 45 Chesapeake Public Schools (elementary, middle, high), there are more than 7,000 military connected students. 

“Teachers wear many hats by providing social/ emotional support, giving kids the skills to become life-long learners and helping fill in the gaps when service member parents are underway or on deployment,” said Johnson. “On the other side, teachers also appreciate the important work of our military, preserving the freedoms that we hold dear. So, the Servicing Our Schools Initiative is just one more step towards strengthening the relationship between the military and schools and showing mutual appreciation for one another.”