Cannon Airmen help enrich local school system

Published Jan. 6, 2010
By Airman 1st Class Jette Warnick
27th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs

CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (AFNS) -- Children shuffle into the classroom displaying various levels of enthusiasm on their faces. The teacher looks at their homework and assigns them to a table where a volunteer sits, ready to help them. Some of the bolder children head straight to the volunteer they want to work with without their teacher's approval, to emphasize their preference. They hope the teacher will let them stay where they are.

This is a typical scene during Barry Elementary School's enrichment program in Clovis, N.M., where 37 Cannon Air Force Base Airmen volunteered 80 hours of their own time.

The enrichment program depends on volunteers both from the base and the community here, who, during scheduled hours, tutor children ranging from kindergarten to sixth grade.

"I enjoy the personnel from Cannon," said Sharon White, the teacher in charge of Barry's enrichment program. "The students also like it when the people from the base come in. They will often try to get to a table with a person who has a uniform on. They are supposed to come in and report to my desk first, but they make it very plain who they would like to work with. That makes my day, and most of the times, the volunteers."

Staff Sgt. Ashley Jamison, a 27th Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle maintenance, said she stared volunteering at Barry Elementary School a year ago and enjoyed it to the extent that she called up Mrs. White and asked if she, along with people from her flight, could come help again this year.

"We plan on keeping this going as long as we can," Sergeant Jamison said. "The children are great to work with. Every half hour a different age group comes in with a sheet of what they need help with and you help them. I like to see how much the students interact and learn with the volunteers. When you go back the next year, you can really see a difference. I'm sure it helps take a little stress off the teachers as well, having extra help."

It has become a shop trend for vehicle maintenance Airmen to be involved in the program. A calendar notes which Airmen are scheduled for volunteer shifts. Mission providing, they also try to cover more when Mrs. White is short on volunteers and e-mails them asking for people at certain times.

Many Airmen, from the 27th Special Operations Civil Engineer Squadron have enjoyed volunteering with the enrichment program as well, such as Staff Sgt. Thresha Davis and Airman Jimmy Little.

"After seeing an e-mail from my first sergeant, I thought it would be a great idea to get involved and to help out the kids," Sergeant Davis said. "I am a parent and I know any little help goes a long way, especially with the younger grades."

Sergeant Davis said she volunteers on Wednesdays and works with many age groups.

"With kindergartners, you just help them read the alphabet and numbers." She said. "The sixth graders are usually the ones who have to read to you and there are study questions in the back of the books that you ask them when they are done. I enjoy reading to the young kids and helping them with their school work. They get a kick out of it as well and love coming to their sessions. I like volunteering at Barry Elementary because I love to see the looks on the kid's faces when they are learning and get their work right."

Airman Little started volunteering soon after Sergeant Davis and finds the program very rewarding and enjoys discovering how smart the youth in Clovis are, he said.

"I like to give back to the community because they do so much for us here," he said. "I've got some kids that I tutor regularly who know me and recognize me. I'll see them out in public and they will point me out to their parents."

However, helping the program doesn't necessarily mean going to the school and tutoring.

"I think we are making a difference," Sergeant Jamison said. "The one-on-one tutoring really seems to help children get the individual attention they need in whatever subject they are having problems with. There are children that you help one year, and the following year you can see such a change in both their confidence and academics."

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