New Schools Open in Mushahidah

Photo By Sgt. Cheryl Cox | Members of the Mushahidah City Council open boxes of school supplies that were delivered to the two newest girl's schools and the newest boy's school Jan. 15 by the Soldiers of Co. B, 2nd Bn., 8th Cavalry Regiment.  

01.15.2002

Courtesy Story

1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division

By Sgt. Cheryl Cox
1st BCT, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs

MUSHAHIDAH, Iraq – It has been said that fostering education is one of many steps toward improving safety and stability for Iraq's future—its children.

The Soldiers of Company B, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment helped the city of Mushahidah, Iraq, get one step closer to this goal by opening three new schools within the city Jan 15.

The Soldiers assisted with opening a girl's elementary school, a girl's secondary school and a boy's elementary school.

"This project is an example of the close partnership we have with the Mushahidah city council to create a secure, safe and stable environment in Mushahidah," said Capt. Adrian Spevak, the Co. B, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment commander and a native of Allentown, Pa., during the ribbon cutting ceremony for the girls' schools. "It is an honor and privilege to be here for the ceremony, and I look forward to continuing our close relationship with future projects."

Just as Spevak said he was excited to see the children have a new place to go to school, the Mushahidah city council members said they were also very excited.

"This is a great example for the projects in this area," said Shiek Naif Moutlak, the chief of the city council. "We thank the coalition for all they have done and hope for other projects in the area to help the people."

And helping people is what makes all the hard work worth while.

"We have been working for six months to get the school to a good standard for the kids," said Capt. John McGowan, the Company C, 414th Civil Affairs Battalion commander and a native of Birmingham, Ala. "By working with the Iraqi government, we have made a better place for the students to go to school."

While the council members and the Soldiers celebrated the ribbon cutting, McGowan had chance to talk to a few people at the school.

"By being here talking to the students, I know that they are very happy to have a better place to go school," he continued. "And the teachers are happy to have a good place to go to work and teach from."

The newly opened schools are a great improvement from the old schools the children were attending, according to McGowan.

"The children now have classrooms with new desks and unbroken windows," said McGowan. "They also have new school supplies that they may not have had without the help of the coalition partnership."

Before leaving the girl's secondary school, Spevak stepped into one of the classrooms to talk to the students.

"I am honored to be here to help make this school a better place," he told the girls. "It is definitely a privilege to look into the eyes of tomorrow's leaders in Iraq."

• Date Taken: 01.15.2002
• Date Posted: 01.22.2007 11:27
• Story ID: 8877