'Ghost' battalion continues excellence

Courtesy Photo | Faculty of Venable Village elementary school take Lt. Col. Gerald Boston, commander of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, on a tour of the school. The 'Ghost' Battalion adopted Venable Village participating in the Adopt-A-School program.  

FORT HOOD, TX, UNITED STATES

09.21.2009

Courtesy Story

4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs

FORT HOOD, Texas — Even amid a hectic summer spent recovering from its recent deployment to Iraq, the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, has been hard at work on another front, supporting its adopted school, Venable Village Elementary.

Venable Village and 2nd Battalion, 7th Cav. Regt., were recently recognized by the Killeen Independent School District as 2009's "Adopt-A-School Unit" of the year.

"Fort Hood and 2-7 CAV have a well deserved reputation for being good neighbors to our community," said Lt. Col. Gerald Boston, 2nd Bn., 7th Cav. Regt.'s commander. "We want to build on that by extending our hand whenever possible."

The Adopt-A-School program was established to nurture the intellectual, emotional and physical growth of local school children and enhance the Army's relationship with the larger community. In an effort to build on the partnership's early success, Boston visited Venable Village to meet with Principal Cynthia Potvin and the school's faculty.

Together they compared schedules for Soldier tutoring programs and joint field days for the upcoming school year. The group also discussed upcoming special events, which unites Soldiers and students for activities, giving them the opportunity to meet each other.

"While 2-7 was deployed, the kids sent them cards and care packages," said Potvin, who's been the principal at Venable Village for 10 years. "So this gives them a chance to see who it was they were writing to."

Addressing the faculty, Boston promised personnel and resources to expand the partnership. "Your goal is our goal," he emphasized.

Following the meeting, the principal and faculty led their guest on a short tour of the school. The group paused to admire the school's Wall of Heroes, a collage of pictures of parents and other Soldiers who are deployed.

"While a Soldier is deployed, their picture is hung on the red side of the board," explained the principal. "When they return, we move them to the blue side of the board. This lets the students know the Soldier returned home safely."

Kelly Umbach, an assistant principal at Venable Village, explained that one of the goals of Adopt-A-School activities is to provide adult role models for children with a parent deployed overseas.

"It's a win-win situation for all those involved," she said.

• Date Taken: 09.21.2009
• Date Posted: 09.21.2009 11:35
• Story ID: 39091
• Location: FORT HOOD, TX, US