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The 28th OWS mentors elementary students

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Tabatha Zarrella
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  Volunteering at R.E. Davis Elementary School comes as more than just an obligation to the 28th Operational Weather Squadron, but as an opportunity to notice an impact being made.

From the beginning of the 2013-14 school year, many R.E. Davis Elementary School students attended without positive role models, according to Cheryl Triplett, R.E. Davis Elementary School principal.

Volunteers from the 28th OWS spent almost 200 hours at the school.

"Every Tuesday, three of us would tutor eight to 10 students for about 2 hours," said Senior Airman Hailey Garrett, 28th OWS weather forecaster. "We'd help students prepare for the Palmetto Assessment of State Standards test, reviewing English and math."

The 28th OWS Airmen helped the school with many other events in addition to classroom tutoring.

"We helped with the scholastic book fair, an Easter event, organized and ran the school's chess club, cleaned and organized the science lab, monitored for the PASS test, field day, and explained the importance of weather," said Senior Airman Ivan Guzman, 28th OWS weather forecaster.

Not only did the Airmen give students positive role models to look up to, but the Airmen saw the positive impact they left on the school, said Triplett.

Giving students positive role models who mentored and spent time with them made the children look forward to each visit from the Airmen.

"We could tell [the student's] skills improved with the mentorship," Guzman said. "They went from being really shy to being very engaged and enthusiastic, it was a break from their normal routine."

The 28th OWS plans to help out at the school again next year.

"There was sincere caring and a genuine willingness to help in every volunteer," said Triplett.

"I absolutely believe our Airmen made a positive impact on the students at R.E. Davis Elementary," said Lt. Col. Jeffrey Jarry, 28th OWS commander. "I could not be more proud of our Airmen for volunteering their time and energy as positive role models that bring Team Shaw closer to our Sumter community."