Smith Station High School celebrates "Be Kind Week" with WHINSEC.

Photo By Milton Mariani Rodriguez | SGT Santi E Salina Bareño, Colombian Army, thanks Ms. Zahily Vazquez, Smith Station High School, and her Foreign Language students for the kind letters and goody bags.  

UNITED STATES

02.12.2021

Story by Adela Duncan 

Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation

FORT BENNING, GA – On Thursday, Smith Station High School, Smith Station, AL. foreign language department students provided the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC) international trainees and instructors with an act of kindness. They wrote a Spanish or French letter along with a candy goodie bag to welcome them to Georgia/Alabama. Smith Station’s HS Spanish teacher personally delivered them to WHINSEC.

"This is a new idea (Be Kind Week) amongst the school's departments; this is the first year," said Ms. Zahily Vazquez, a Spanish teacher at Smith Station High School.

As part of "Be Kind Week," departments throughout the school worked with various organizations such as; first responders, retirement homes, and animal shelters.

"Our class decided to work with WHINSEC students. We chose the WHINSEC trainees and instructors because they are here and away from their families – some of them for months at a time. We wanted them to feel appreciated and welcome them to the United States," concluded Vazquez.

A total of 170 bags were prepared and distributed to trainees and cadre at the Institute.

"This outreach from Smith Station High School is significant to WHINSEC. We are always looking for ways to collaborate with the community surrounding Ft Benning," commented Headquarters and Headquarters Company First Sergeant Fernando Garcia.

"We want to share with the community our education and training at WHINSEC, as well as share with our students, American customs, values, and traditions," added Garcia.

WHINSEC's Small Unit Leader Course student, Sergeant Santi E. Salinas Bareño, from Colombia stood up speaking on behalf the WHINSEC students thanked Ms. Vazquez and her class for such a nice gesture towards them.

• Date Taken: 02.12.2021
• Date Posted: 02.12.2021 14:25
• Story ID: 389000
• Location: US