Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Tomora Nance | Airman 1st Class Eric Tumblin, a tactical air command control specialist with the 9th...... read more read more
KILLEEN, Texas - As a new school year began, schools across Killeen welcomed students and parents to “Meet the Teacher Night,” Aug. 21, 2014. This night gave students the opportunity to pick up their schedules and find out who their new teachers are for the upcoming academic school year.
Liberty Hill Middle School was among the many schools in the Killeen Independent School District to participate in the “Meet the Teacher Night.”
“Today is something that our students look forward to…maybe not quite as much as their parents,” said Jennifer Roden, the campus instructional specialist at LHMS and a Killeen native. “Meet the Teacher Night helps students take some of the concern off of being here the first day of school. It helps them get ready for the new school year in so many ways.”
She continued, “This is a big milestone for the fifth graders coming into sixth grade. Middle school is so much different than elementary school and there could be some apprehension about the unknown.”
Roden describes some of the ways that “Meet the Teacher Night” helps the students. They pick up their schedules and see where they need to be, meet their teachers, put money on their food account, and if they decide to play sports then they have an opportunity to meet the athletic directors.
“This night is like a trial run,” Roden said.
This night not only proved to be a big night for students of LHMS but for the Air Force unit that adopted the school as well. The 9th Air Support Operation Squadron took part in a long history of Fort Hood’s adopt-a-school partnership by volunteering with LHMS during the event.
“We developed a relationship with them that we wanted to kick off right from the start of the school year by showing our presence that we are here to support the school and the community in whatever way possible,” said Air Force Lt. Col. Langdon Root, the 9th ASOS commander. “Being a part of tonight gives us the opportunity to show some presence within the local, Army community…we are part of the team.”
Roden added, “What a perfect opportunity for the two largest influences (the military and KISD) in this community to really grab hands and work together.”
Although Fort Hood is an Army base, 9th ASOS also calls it home.
“Not too many people know that there’s an Air Force unit here, and the partnership we have with the school is a great opportunity to show people we are are a part of the community as well,” said Senior Airman Nelson Walker, a Tactical Air Command Control Specialist with the 9th Air Support Operation Squadron and LHMS’ Air Force liaison.
Root added, “So being part of this night, enforces the idea of we’re all part of one joint team.”
As the students and their parents flooded the middle school’s gym, they picked up their schedules and embarked on their journey through the halls of LHMS. They also got the opportunity to ask the volunteers of the 9th ASOS a few question.
“This is a neat opportunity to have middle schoolers come up to me and ask about the difference between the Army and the Air Force; most of the students have asked me if I fly planes,” Walker said.
Being a speck of blue in a sea of green can present its difficulties at times but for the LHMS’ “Meet the Teacher Night,” that thought was far from anyone’s mind.
“I think the students are excited to see military helping out at their school,” said Walker. “This is a military town so this is what they know and are accustomed to, regardless, if we are Air Force or Army.”
“I think it’s a comfort for them because so many of our students have parents that are in the military or know someone who’s in the military,” said Roden. “In the eyes of a child there isn’t a difference between the Army and the Air Force. They see a uniform and from their perspective know that a hero is there to help them.”
Excited students and parents trickled out of the doors of LHMS as the event came to an end. This night proved meaningful not only for the students and their parents, but for the volunteers as well.
“I love volunteering and getting my squadron involved in events that help the community,” Walker said.
“Fort Hood brings so much to our area, and there are so many things we couldn’t have accomplished tonight without the support of the military helping us,” Roden said.
| Date Taken: | 08.27.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 08.27.2014 12:12 |
| Story ID: | 140508 |
| Location: | KILLEEN, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 77 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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