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    Volunteers Onboard NSA Naples Prepare Schools for Physical Distancing

    Volunteers Onboard NSA Naples Prepare Schools for Physical Distancing

    Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Donavan K Patubo | Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Lily Churchyard, assigned to U.S. Naval Hospital Naples,...... read more read more

    NAPLES, ITALY

    08.10.2020

    Story by Alicia McNeely 

    U.S. Naval Support Activity Naples

    GRICIGNANO, Italy – The Naval Support Activity (NSA) Naples community came together to prepare Naples Elementary School and Naples Middle High School spaces for physical distancing during the upcoming school year, Aug. 10.
    Sailors assigned to NSA Naples and its tenant commands, educators, and family members wore masks and worked together reorganizing classrooms in the two schools onboard Support Site in order to reduce the risk of coronavirus spread during in-person education.
    “Today we have about 80 volunteers helping support the physical distancing measures that are in place for DoDEA's strategy to open safely for the new school year,” said Samantha Love, NSA Naples student liaison officer.
    Volunteers spent the day throughout the school, making every effort to ensure all areas were in accordance with the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) COVID-19 mitigation standards. By disposing of excess furniture, they worked to maximize classroom space and minimize potential physical contact between students and faculty. They also assembled desks and set up computers, all to prepare the schools for the first day of lessons.
    “It's great to see so many people from different backgrounds and different commands coming together, working toward a common goal,” said NSA Naples Commanding Officer Capt. James Stewart. “Everyone is so willing to step up and get the job done. I feel incredibly lucky to be a part of such a wonderful community.”
    Volunteers welcomed this project as an opportunity to support students going back to school safely to learn in a healthy, clean environment. However, students are not the only ones benefiting from this event. Many of the volunteers walked away with a new-found sense of pride for contributing to such an important and worthy cause.
    “This is definitely a rewarding volunteer opportunity, giving back to the kids and them actually seeing us actively participating in their future,” said Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Alan Canela, assigned to U.S. Naval Hospital Naples. “I think on the whole, as a command, the fact that we're giving to the kids, it should be rewarding to everybody, not just myself.”
    Overall, the day was a success, both in readying the schools for in-person learning and in bringing the NSA Naples community together.
    “In terms of trying to get children back to a place of normalcy in such a crazy time, this is what it's really all about, is seeing people get together and make sure that these things happen for them,” said Love.
    Stewart also remarked on the cooperative atmosphere of the day.
    “Our children are the most important and precious part of our lives, and as parents and educators, we do whatever we can to protect them and keep them healthy,” said Stewart. “Today, though, it's more than just moms, dads and teachers helping out to prepare the school. There are single Sailors and geo-bachelors, whose kids don't attend school here, all participating and taking an active role in ensuring the health and safety of our students.”
    NSA Naples is an operational ashore base that enables U.S., allied, and partner nation forces to be where they are needed, when they are needed, to ensure security and stability in Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia.
    For more news about NSA Naples and the Sailors who serve onboard the installation, please follow us on Instagram @NSANaples and Facebook at facebook.com/NSANaples.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 08.10.2020
    Date Posted: 08.14.2020 10:16
    Story ID: 375991
    Location: NAPLES, IT

    Web Views: 95
    Downloads: 0

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