Provider Read-A-Thon

Photo By Sgt. Laurissa Hodges | Sgt. Tichina Stout, a culinary specialist assigned to the 287th Field Feeding Company, Special Troops Battalion,3rd Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade, digitally reads “Pete the Cat Scuba-Cat” by James Dean during the second annual Read-A-Thon Nov. 16, on Fort Stewart, Georgia. Stout volunteered to read to the children digitally because she felt that even though we must adhere to COVID-19 guidelines to mitigate risks, the children at the Liberty County Schools should still be read to.  

FORT STEWART, GA, UNITED STATES

11.16.2020

Story by Sgt. Laurissa Hodges 

3rd Division Sustainment Brigade

Soldiers with the 3rd Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade participated in the second annual Read-A-Thon digitally Nov. 16, on Fort Stewart, Georgia.

The Army participates in community relations events in which units extend their outreach to surrounding cities to show that Soldiers not only train to serve the country, but are involved and are a part of the community.

Last year, Soldiers assigned to the 3rd SB hosted and participated in a number of community relations events. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, additional procedures have been put in place to mitigate COVID-19 exposure. This may have altered how operations are executed, but it has not hindered the Brigade’s outreach.

“Teachers need positive role models like our wonderful Soldiers to help educate their students,” said Dr. Kathy S. Moody, the Liberty County Executive Director for Student Services.

Some of the Soldiers that volunteered also felt that it was a good idea to keep the Read-A-Thon going.

“I am a parent of three boys and even though we are going through a pandemic right now, I feel like it is still great to continue reading to the children to let them know they haven’t been forgotten,” said Sgt. Tichina Stout, assigned to the 287th Field Feeding Company, Special Troops Battalion, 3rd SB. “Just because there is a pandemic going on does not mean we have to stop the things that we would normally do.”

As with many events this year, the Read-a-Thon had to go digital.

“Due to COVID restrictions, Soldiers are not able to physically be present in classrooms for this year's Read-A-Thon,” said Moody. “The event, however, will be very unique as teachers will have access to the Read-A-Thon link to ‘bring’ soldiers into the classrooms digitally.”

Reading digitally poses challenges such as missing the effects offace-to-face interaction, but presenting a digital Read-A-Thon has a couple of benefits.

“Having this access will allow students to watch and to listen to the stories many times throughout the school year,” said Moody. “In addition, students who are participating in virtual learning will have wonderful opportunities to participate in the second annual Read-A-Thon with soldiers from the 3rd Sustainment Brigade.”

The 3rd SB was able to make this happen with the help of the brigade public affairs office.

“We had to look for creative solutions to continue to engage with our community due to the additional force protection measures in place for COVID,” said Staff Sgt. Joel Salgado, the brigade public affairs and community relations NCO. “I spoke with the school board and we determined that we would like to keep the read-a-thon going and using a digital format allowed us to do that and reach both in-person and remote schooled children. The digital format also allowed us to expand the read-a-thon to more school districts including the DODEA schools and Bryan County.”

In the future, the 3rd SB plans to continue recording digital readings and finding ways to engage the community that supports our Soldiers.

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• Date Taken: 11.16.2020
• Date Posted: 11.24.2020 09:24
• Story ID: 383649
• Location: FORT STEWART, GA, US