PANJSHIR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - It started out as a typical mission for the civil affairs branch of the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team, May 27. They set out to do an assessment of a local school and its ability to support a micro hydroelectric plant to power the new computer facility and library.
Halfway through the mission, they noticed a group of students from the school doing their morning exercises around a volleyball court. The civil affairs team could not resist the opportunity to join in.
"We were looking at the micro hydro and if it could be a future project," said U.S. Army Spc. LeeAnn Kwait, a civil engineer with the Panjshir PRT. The students were being lead by one of their teachers in what looked like a gym class.
"They were doing simple stretching exercises and they asked if we could do some push ups for the kids, and they all decided to join in," said Kwait, a Levittown, Pa., resident.
"The kids seemed to really enjoy participating. They were smiling and joking, and I was really impressed with the amount of discipline in the class," said Kwait. "It only lasted about fifteen minutes, but everyone seemed to have a good time."
The civil affairs team saw the opportunity to become closer to the students at the school despite the tight schedule.
"We did not want to interrupt their class for too long," said Kwait. "They were near the micro hydro location and we could not resist."
The civil affairs team quickly found out the kids were aware of the military push-up, dropping down and completing the set with them.
"It seemed like they had done them before. They were all ready to go and kept right up with us while we did 20 push-ups in cadence," she said.
After the impromptu workout, the team presented the students and teachers with school supplies donated from a school in America.
"We gave them some school supplies and some sports equipment like soccer balls, baseballs and Frisbees. We got to spend time with them and give them equipment for the future," said Kwait.
While the assessment went well, the interaction with the kids was just as important to showing the Afghan people that the Panjshir PRT is making an effort to improving the quality of life for the children at the school.
| Date Taken: | 05.27.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 06.06.2010 17:56 |
| Story ID: | 50963 |
| Location: | PANJSHIR PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 156 |
| Downloads: | 112 |
This work, It's good for you, it's good for me, by SGT John Young, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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