Photo By Staff Sgt. Jesus Sepulveda Torres | KAILUA – Megan, Eva and Lauren, daughters of deployed Navy Cmdr. James Dunn, hang a...... read more read more
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KAILUA – Parents and faculty from Aikahi Elementary School hosted their annual Yellow Ribbon Day celebration, April 8, 2016.
Yellow Ribbon Day is part of April's Month of the Military Child, which acknowledges and honors the sacrifices made by children of deployed parents in the armed services.
This is a day for recognizing the military impacted children and their families, said Keoki Fraser, the principal for the school.
“I was that kid back when I was their age,” said Frasier, a Waimanalo, Hawaii, native. “My dad is a retired Marine and I’m very proud to have experienced that as a kid. For me it’s personal because I know what it feels like when dad goes away and mom is at home doing everything, the different challenges when it comes to moving to a different community and I share my experience with the students so that they don’t have to feel alone.”
Fraser says he is thankful for the support of military parents for participating in the event and for the new formal relationship with Marine Wing Support Detachment 24. The bond includes a contract that enables Marine support throughout the school year in activities such as campus maintenance and school events. The Marines are also able to serve as role models for the students.
“With all this great support, our ohana grows even bigger and stronger,” he said. “Special thanks to MWSD-24 for signing that contract with our school, the positive role models for the kids and assistance with the school is very much appreciated. I also want to thank the volunteers and parents in uniform for taking time from their day in helping make Yellow Ribbon Day an important day and I am happy to say we will have many more to come.”
Capt. Shane Vickers, the commanding officer for MWSD-24, says the goal of Yellow Ribbon Day was to support the children whose parents are deployed and to sign a contract with the school for the Adopt-A-School program.
“We understand what the students must give up, which could be mom or dad and sometimes both,” Vickers said. “By having all these parents in uniform here, we are showing these kids how thankful we are.”
He said with the attendance of his Marines and the support from the other branches, Yellow Ribbon Day was a great event and beneficial to the affected children because they demonstrated their respect for the children.
“My Marines were extremely excited about supporting this event and our new relationship with the school and its students,” Vickers said. “I am looking forward to seeing both the school and us grow together.”
He also appreciates the other services for participating in the Yellow Ribbon Day celebration.
Army Maj. William Gottlick, an Audiologist with Bravo Company, Tripler Medical Center, has children that go to the school. He thanked his sons for their support and acknowledged the other children as well.
“We went to different classrooms calling out the names of the kids and I helped give out leis and goody bags,” Gottlick said. “When the children were called, the class clapped for them which put smiles on everyone’s faces.”
He said the kids endure a lot by constantly moving or waiting for their parents to come home after months on deployment.
“It’s difficult sometimes with all the stress of their parents being away,” Gottlick said. “With today’s Yellow Ribbon Day celebration, we acknowledged these students and thanked them, which they were happy to hear.”
The day’s celebration was complete with a performance by the U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific Party Band, a slideshow of students and their family members, and yellow ribbons were passed out by the principal with help from Capt. Vickers.
“The kids loved the assembly, and the principal, Mr. Fraser, called students who have deployed family members to the stage and awarded them with a yellow ribbon with their parents name on it to hang,” Gottlick said. “By giving away those ribbons, it shows they are not alone because they have the support from the community and their school.”
| Date Taken: | 04.08.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 05.24.2016 21:59 |
| Story ID: | 198974 |
| Location: | KAILUA, HI, US |
| Web Views: | 110 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Honoring the Children, by SSgt Jesus Sepulveda Torres, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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