With school starting soon, the Oak Harbor school buses will hit the road Sept. 4 and the rush is on for school clothes and supplies.
To prepare for the new school year, NAS Whidbey Island is reuniting with the Oak Harbor School District for the 17th year to join
forces in the Partnership in Education program. This program is strongly supported by Navy leadership and volunteers alike,
especially since 55 percent of students in the school district come from either military or federally-employed families.
Representatives from the school district and board of education, NAS Whidbey squadrons and tenant commands, Parents-Teacher
Association, organizations and community members met Aug. 13 at the Chief Petty Officers’ Club for the annual partnership kickoff
luncheon.
“It’s not about you or me,” started guest speaker Capt. Gerral David, NAS Whidbey Island commanding officer, speaking to
educators, commanding officers and Navy volunteer coordinators. “It’s all about the kids; it’s what they can become.”
David said his initial thoughts about the school partnership after taking command in July 2007 was that Sailors just helped kids
do homework and that was it. “It’s much more than that,” he said. “There are tutors, mentors, readers, playground monitors,
recess coaches, recycling, social events and dance chaperons.”
Last year, 465 base personnel spent time volunteering in five elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school for a total
of 8,051 hours. The purpose of the partnership is to improve the education, health, fitness and citizenship of students and staff. Overall,
volunteers from throughout the community did over 41,000 hours in the school district.
Martha Wallin, school district community resources coordinator, and Chief Electronics Technician Mike Pruyne, NAS Whidbey Island’s
military school volunteer coordinator, work behind the scenes to make the program a success.
On behalf of the five major commands on base, David surprised Wallin with a letter of thanks and station coin saying, “Civilians and
Sailors alike continue to enjoy your program and are impressed with the impact in our community’s children. Your fine balance between
great advertising, constant training and meticulous management has been respected for over 18 years.”
David added the base also volunteers in Coupeville, Anacortes, La Connor and in private home schools. “It’s the right thing to do,” he said.
He cited examples of how high school students intern at Naval Hospital Oak Harbor with nurses and in the lab; assisting the city in
surveying and with local business; the work done by the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit’s work in North Whidbey Middle
School math classrooms in using math in everyday life; and Fleet Readiness Center Northwest’s “Ready Room” for school tutoring.
“You don’t know which student or how you will matter, but one of them could discover how to use sea water as a fuel source for cars, be
president, fine a cure for cancer or Alzheimer’s,” said David.
Dr. Rick Schulte, Oak Harbor School District superintendent, thanked the volunteers and air station for the many years of helping students
from kindergarten to seniors. Schulte said that Rear Adm. Len Hering, commander Navy Region Southwest (and former commander, Navy
Region Northwest), has stressed military child education as a national security issue. Schulte shared that Hering spoke recently at the Interstate
Compact on the Education of Military Children. He noted that up to 50 percent of Sailors were once military dependents themselves and what
school volunteers do today can impact future recruits.
David gave the crowd some food for thought saying, “When a child tells you, ‘I can’t do math,’ pull out a ball.” David illustrated a simple way
anyone could teach a child math when he tossed a small ball to Chief Pruyne, displaying they had just performed eight variable calculus equations
in tossing and catching the ball.
Now that the school district and Navy partners are excited, it’s time to get busy. Pruyne said if any Sailor or Marine has not been linked to a school
through their squadron or command, but wishes to volunteer, they are invited to call him at (360) 257-2181.