Photo By Maj. Judith Marlowe | Walter Happel, executive director of Loyola- Gymnasium, interacts with his students on...... read more read more
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PRIZREN, Kosovo - The sun was shining and the sky was clear as a Kosovo Forces Black Hawk helicopter landed at a Kosovo school as hundreds of students anxiously awaited their arrival.
A crew of four aviation Soldiers from Multinational Battle Group-East flew to the Loyola-Gymnasium school in Prizren, Kosovo, to celebrate the school’s 10th year anniversary by allowing students to sit in the Black Hawk, many of them for the first time, and ask questions about the helicopter and being a soldier, April 16.
“Today is the 10th anniversary of the ground breaking of the school, which was April 2005,” Walter Happel, executive director of Loyola- Gymnasium. “The cooperation with KFOR has been going on for years and I invite them every year to participate. I am happy they do.”
The school starts at 6th grade and goes up to the 12th grade and has a very rigorous curriculum.
“They learn Latin and German right from the beginning at five lessons a week, and in the eighth grade, we start teaching English,” said Happel. “A lot of words derive from the Latin language so it’s really easy for them.”
Once the Black Hawk landed in a large grassy area in front of the school, and the pilot powered down the helicopter, the 20 foot long ribbon that was holding the eager students back was cut and hundreds of students charged the helicopter.
“I’ve never seen 40 people fit into a Black Hawk before,” said 1st Lt. Wyatt Brady, a pilot with the New Jersey National Guard. “They were so enthusiastic, and they loved it.”
KFOR Soldiers are invited every year to celebrate the anniversary of the school’s opening. According to Happel, the school has had a great relationship with KFOR since the beginning.
“They [soldiers] are loved here,” said Happel.
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Billy Sutter, a pilot commander with the California National Guard, augmented to the New Jersey Guard, felt privileged for being chosen for this mission.
“I have done a lot of missions, but this was the most rewarding,” said Sutter.
Brady said the main priority for the school’s celebration was to show the people of Kosovo that America is here to support them, and to intermingle with the Kosovar students.
“This is my most memorable day of being here, because I can interact with people,” said Brady. “Just learning phrases and just to hear how excited they are that we are learning their language is really rewarding.”
He thinks it was a very successful event.
“A lot of these people have never spoken to a KFOR soldier.” said Brady. “The people here are happy we are here making a difference.”
Happel has been the principal since the opening of the school and is leaving by the end of the school year. He has no doubt in his mind that his replacement will continue the great relationships with KFOR soldiers that has been established for many years.
| Date Taken: | 04.16.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 04.19.2015 15:10 |
| Story ID: | 160470 |
| Location: | PRIZREN, ZZ |
| Web Views: | 68 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, KFOR Soldiers celebrate German school’s 10th year anniversary, by MAJ Judith Marlowe, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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