Photo By Kristen Wong | Junior police officers respectfully watch as Annette Ostrem, principal, Mokapu...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII - Stars and Stripes was laid to rest in warm orange flames as Mokapu Elementary School students kicked off “Make a Difference Day” with an official flag retirement ceremony for 30 worn American flags Nov. 6.
The ceremony showed the “proper way to dispose of the flag,” said attendee Robert Talmadge, retired master gunnery sergeant and member of the Chosin Few. “You don’t just take the flag and throw it into the trash. You give it the respect it deserves.”
On a day to celebrate volunteerism and service, the Marine Corps League Aloha Detachment assisted with the ceremony, with member Ron Lockwood narrating the proceedings. The ceremony included a playing of “America the Beautiful” and “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and attendees said a final Pledge of Allegiance to the retiring flag before it was lowered from the flagpole, cut stripe by stripe, and burnt. Students and league members assisted in burying the ashes on campus grounds.
“We’re very proud to be the site [for the ceremony],” said Mokapu principal Annette Ostrem. “We’re also proud of our [junior police officer] students for taking the lead in this event. It’s a perfect match with ‘Make a Difference Day.’ It’s all about being proud — being proud of our school and having pride in our country.”
More than 50 civilian and military volunteers took pride as they contributed 197 hours worth of service projects on campus throughout the day. Of all the volunteers, 12 did not even have children attending the school, according to Holly Carver, a parent community networking center facilitator at Mokapu. Carver reported that service members had already volunteered more than 200 hours this school year.
“It’s an opportunity for our parents to come together with faculty and staff to make our campus a better place,” Ostrem said. “We know that other parents who couldn’t be here show that they care in other ways. We appreciate everyone’s efforts to make our school the best we can.”
Volunteers worked on various projects from cleaning to gardening. Staff Sgt. Andrew Bigos, motor transport operations chief, and Cpl. Jeremy Cope, a radio operator, both from 3rd Marine Regiment, filled several small gardens on campus with fertilizer.
“We try to help out as much as possible,” Bigos, of Jackson, N.J., said.
Through an Adopt-A-School partnership with Mokapu, Bigos said the regiment also holds physical training sessions with the students on Tuesday and Thursday, assisting them in warm up, jogging and stretching. Volunteers from the unit also participated in the school’s summer carnival.
“I think it reflects on the students because they’re not in a dirty environment,” said sixth grader Jacob Berg, 11.
The school is also adding at least 10 racks around the campus for the students to hang their backpacks when class is in session. Fifth grade teacher Larry Sylvester and several service members spent part of Saturday constructing the wooden racks.
Sylvester started the trend when he built a rack for his own classroom. He said he made the racks because there was limited space in the room for backpacks.
Though “Make a Difference Day” included many volunteers, the students themselves helped out in different ways.
Several students sanded the time-worn cafeteria doors, prepping them for a new coat of paint.
“I think it’s great to help make a difference,” said sixth grader Victoria Marquardt, 11. “I like how we’re helping out the school and the planet.”
Third grade teacher Sheri Frye, and third graders Mila Kaskovich and Nick Marton, worked on the mini garden outside of their classroom which grows vegetables such as sweet peas, green beans, cucumbers and tomatoes.
“I just think it’s a good community outreach,” Frye, of Kailua, said. “To me as a teacher [what’s important is] getting the kids involved. It’s their school.”
| Date Taken: | 11.06.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 11.10.2010 18:44 |
| Story ID: | 59876 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 94 |
| Downloads: | 4 |
This work, Mokapu students and volunteers make a difference, by Kristen Wong, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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