By Spc. Qualan M. Jefferson
Louisiana Army National Guard
SHREVEPORT, La. – "Jingle bells, Jingle bells, Jingle all the way!" belted out Staff Sgt. Rodney A. Brown as he sang along with students at the Hershey D. Wilson Head Start Center in Shreveport, La.
The Head Start Center hosted career week, Dec. 8-12, and each day different professionals came in to speak to the children about their jobs, responsibilities, and opportunities within their given fields.
Brown, a Shreveport, La., native tried intently to explain his role as platoon sergeant for C Troop, 2nd Squadron, 108th Cavalry Regiment of the Louisiana Army National Guard to the 3-5 year olds. But upon noticing his audience was not moved or captivated by his job or the patches on his uniform, Brown proceeded instead to read the classic stories of "Curious George," and "'Twas The Night Before Christmas." This seemed to work like a charm.
"Sing Jingle Bells!" shouted one cheerful student to Brown.
"I noticed the children moving and getting restless listening to me talk about work. It was a little over their heads so I got their attention back with "Curious George," and before I knew it we were all singing Christmas carols," said Brown.
"I'm very impressed with the National Guard for taking the time to come read to the children," said Charlotte A. Harris, manager of the Head Start Center.
The mission of the center is to provide diverse services that will prepare preschool children of low-income families with the readiness skills necessary to succeed in school and to assist their parents in becoming more self-sufficient citizens.
"Interacting with the children was a gratifying experience; coming from once being that small child looking up to Soldiers to now being that Soldier that a small child looks up to," said Brown. "Being bombarded with hugs of appreciation from the children was nice too," he said.