By Capt. Christina Knight
GRAFENWOEHR, Germany - On Feb. 13 2014, 14 soldiers of the 44th ESB met at the Grafenwoehr Elementary School (GES) to participate in a student to soldier mentorship. The soldiers were attached to over 10 different classrooms ranging from 1st to 4th Grade to assist the teachers in with Valentine’s Day events.
This provided a unique opportunity for local students to interact with their school’s partnered unit. The group that volunteered was from the 44th ESB’s Woman in the Military (WIM) mentorship program. This group was able to see mentorship from another level by assisting a younger age group that look up to them. This opportunity allowed the WIM to provide and understand their leadership skills at a low pressure event and allowed the children to interact with soldiers.
It allowed a great opportunity to see the importance of volunteering and positive community activities.
The event was a positive experience for the WIM mentorship program members and the students of the GES. This was the second event between to two organizations, which both look forward to the next opportunity to collaborate.