Colorfully Brightening West Elementary

Photo By Tech. Sgt. Donald Hudson | The volunteer group that painted parts of West Elementary School pose for a group photo March 4, 2017, at Yokota Air Base, Japan. The volunteers painted parts of West Elementary School to help take some of the extra duties off teachers. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Donald Hudson)  

YOKOTA AIR BASE, TOKYO, JAPAN

03.10.2017

Story by Airman 1st Class Donald Hudson  

374th Airlift Wing

Wide eyed with surprise, the children ran their fingers across the newly painted blue, yellow and orange halls of Yokota’s West Elementary School.
Volunteers repainted parts of the school to help take some of the extra duties off of teachers, and brighten the students learning environment to boost creativity.
The volunteers included members of the 374th Logistics Reediness Squadron’s Petroleum Oil Lubricants flight and the 374th Contracting Squadron.
“The volunteers were such a big help and did so much for the school and the kids,” said Michelle Rhoden, West Elementary School administration secretary. “It’s wonderful to have them help the school.”
Many of the volunteers from the 374 LRS POL flight also helped during the National Read Across America Day events and act as crossing guards before and after school every day.
While volunteering at the school events is important, for some it means more to show their support.
“My daughter goes to school here,” said Staff Sgt. Cordero Sanderson, 374 LRS POL flight NCO in charge of the fuels service center. “I feel it’s important for her to see her father involved in her school.”
Sanderson regularly acts as the crossing guard at the school and ensures there is always someone to do crossing guard duty when he can’t. This is to take some of the extra duties off of the teachers and ensure that the kids are safe.
Along with crossing guard duty, Sanderson also gathers volunteers for other school events throughout the year. He has helped get volunteers to read and run activity booths for the kids during National Read Across America Day events and the upcoming Kids Carnival scheduled to take place in May.
From painters to crossing guards, the volunteers at Yokota are helping to brighten the lives of students at West Elementary School.

• Date Taken: 03.10.2017
• Date Posted: 03.09.2017 22:36
• Story ID: 226408
• Location: YOKOTA AIR BASE, TOKYO, JP