News>Outreach to teach: Volunteers connect with Afghan children
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An Afghan child raises his hand to answer a question during a “Cat in the Hat” education session at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Oct. 14, 2012. The program is a volunteer-run community outreach effort designed to provide local Afghan children a safe, nurturing learning environment in which they are inspired to bring positive change to Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Raymond Geoffroy)
A Dr. Seuss quote adorns a window at the “Cat in the Hat” language arts center at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Oct. 14, 2012. The program is a volunteer-run community outreach effort designed to provide local Afghan children a safe, nurturing learning environment in which they are inspired to bring positive change to Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Raymond Geoffroy)
Yagana, a local Afghan student, and Capt. Angela Joy-Radden review the alphabet together during a “Cat in the Hat” education session at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Oct. 14, 2012. Joy-Radden is a volunteer from the 455th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron. Bagram AB volunteers come out every week to mentor and educate local youth. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Raymond Geoffroy)
Yagana, a local Afghan student, and Capt. Angela Joy-Radden review the alphabet together during a “Cat in the Hat” education session at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Oct. 14, 2012. Joy-Radden is a volunteer from the 455th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron. Bagram AB volunteers come out every week to mentor and educate local youth. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Raymond Geoffroy
Muzghan, a local Afghan student, and Capt. Leonard Spigiel work on a project together during a “Cat in the Hat” education session at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Oct. 14, 2012. Spigiel is a volunteer from the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron. The educational outreach program supports the International Security Assistance Force’s counter-insurgency efforts by enabling positive interaction between U.S. service members and the local community. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Raymond Geoffroy)
Yagana, a local Afghan student, plays a counting game with Capt. Rachel Seablom during a “Cat in the Hat” education session at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Oct. 14, 2012. Seablom is a volunteer from the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron. The program is a volunteer-run community outreach effort designed to provide local Afghan children a safe, nurturing learning environment in which they are inspired to bring positive change to Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Raymond Geoffroy)
Yagana, a local Afghan student, and Capt. Angela Joy-Radden play a counting game together during a “Cat in the Hat” education session at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Oct. 14, 2012. Joy-Radden is a volunteer from the 455th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron. Bagram volunteers come out every week to mentor and educate local youth. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Raymond Geoffroy)
Muzghan, a local Afghan student, draws a picture during a “Cat in the Hat” education session at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Oct. 14, 2012. During the classes, Afghan children learn the alphabet, numbers and other fundamental subjects in order to better themselves and the future of the community surrounding Bagram. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Raymond Geoffroy)
A familiar feline adorns the wall at the “Cat in the Hat” language arts center at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Oct. 14, 2012. The program is a volunteer-run community outreach effort designed to provide local Afghan children a safe, nurturing learning environment in which they are inspired to bring positive change to Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Raymond Geoffroy)
Yagana, a local Afghan student, laughs with Capt. Rachel Seablom during a “Cat in the Hat” education session at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Oct. 14, 2012. Seablom is a volunteer from the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron. The program is a volunteer-run community outreach effort designed to provide local Afghan children a safe, nurturing learning environment in which they are inspired to bring positive change to Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Raymond Geoffroy)
An Afghan student and Bagram volunteer review a lesson together during a “Cat in the Hat” education session at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Oct. 14, 2012. The program is a volunteer-run community outreach effort designed to provide local Afghan children a safe, nurturing learning environment in which they are inspired to bring positive change to Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Raymond Geoffroy)
An Afghan student learns the “Hokey-Pokey” dance during a “Cat in the Hat” education session at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Oct. 14, 2012. The educational outreach program supports the International Security Assistance Force’s counter-insurgency efforts by enabling positive interaction between U.S. service members and the local community. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Raymond Geoffroy)
Staff Sgt. Olivia Updike adds details to Dr. Seuss-inspired cacti in the "Cat in the Hat" Language Arts Center at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Oct. 23, 2012. Updike is assigned to the 455th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron. Updike and other artistic volunteers give an average 20 hours per room to paint "Dr. Seuss-esque" murals on nearly every wall of the Language Arts Center. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Shawn McCowan)
by Tech. Sgt. Shawn McCowan
455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
10/29/2012 - BAGRAM AIRFIELD, AFGHANISTAN (AFNS) -- A year ago, a group of volunteers turned a burned-out restaurant on Bagram Airfield into a one-room classroom, and invited area school-age children to learn math, reading, and writing.
When the first "Cat in the Hat" class graduated in August, 40 area Afghan children had taken huge steps toward literacy. A new volunteer staff recently began a new school year with hopes for an even more successful program with more help for the children than any other Bagram AB program.
Army Capt. Shannon Johnson manages prisoner processing at Bagram Airfield. While her duty is important in many ways, she wanted to make a different kind of positive difference during her tour. Johnson became one of the program directors and immediately began plans to expand it as much as possible.
Johnson started accepting more volunteers, and turned a storage area into another classroom. She met with local Afghan school headmasters to determine if there was more interest from families with children in the local area. Before long, she got her answer; the program doubled its size to 80 students within a month.
During its first year, the "Cat in the Hat" program taught local children the English alphabet, basic reading, and counting skills. Johnson expanded the curriculum to include more advanced reading comprehension and basic math. She said the program's results were immediately obvious.
"Literacy of new students here seems to be at about the first-grade level with normal verbal skills. When the last class graduated they showed a third- and fourth-grade literacy level, all in one year," Johnson said.
Johnson said her vision for the program it to benefit the "whole child," and her intent is to benefit the children beyond the classroom desk. She plans to further develop the curriculum with geography, allowing students to learn countries, continents and simple earth science, so the students better understand the world around them.
She'd like the children to identify where they live globally as well as where America and other coalition nations are, helping them understand they have had support from people all over the world.
Johnson also introduced oral hygiene orientation, where the students are taught how to brush their teeth. Toothbrushes and toothpaste for each member of the students' family are then sent home. She also stockpiled hundreds of donated coats, hats, scarves, gloves and boots. The volunteers will distribute sets of the winter garments at the first sign of cold weather.
Her last endeavor was to create a "fuel donut." She and her duty station co-workers use some of their off-duty time to press recycled paper, sawdust, and water into a light weight, donut-shaped fire logs. Once completed, the dinner plate-sized logs are given to children to take home during the winter.
"In many of their homes in the winter, they have to choose between keeping warm and eating. These donuts provide their whole family with a more comfortable winter," Johnson said.
While students' new skills may make them more marketable for jobs in their adulthood, and winter clothes can protect them from cold Afghanistan winters, Johnson said she believes the program is just as beneficial for the volunteers.
"Out here in Afghanistan, this is the one day we get to see something different than a war going on around them," she said. "They get to see they made a difference and helped these kids."
Capt. Angela Joy-Radden, who leads the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing's weather team, began volunteering in the program soon after she arrived at Bagram AB. She attributes the program's success to the satisfaction both students and staff get from their time together.
"It brings a lot of joy to my heart, being able to interact with the children. Like seeing small successes when their face lights up when they get something right," Joy-Radden said. "I hope they see that we genuinely care. We want to interact with them in a kind way, so they see we have the best intentions. We get down to their level, on our knees, and try to do our best to help them learn. That interaction is priceless."
Joy-Radden said she has seen several students begin to change the way they respond to Americans and military members.
"I was working with a little girl on writing and naming numbers. She suddenly started responding to me in her language, sharing with me how she says the numbers. She started teaching me while I'm teaching her. There was also a boy who was very quiet, shy and standoffish at first. Now that he's gotten used to me and seen the dedication and commitment, he's smiling, joking and working harder."
Capt. Rachel Seablom, assigned to the 455 AEW's 774th Airlift Squadron, is another volunteer who sees the benefits from the partnership for both teacher and student.
"They light up when we work together. It's the best part of my week, getting the positive feedback from the kids. It's fun to see the kids progress from where they started, and how they change over the months. In the end, I hope they take home that people here want to help them, and are friendly. They see us here in our military uniforms, and know that we're a friendly presence," Seablom said.
Several volunteers give their time in other ways besides teaching. A handful of artistic service members have painstakingly painted nearly every wall in the Language Arts Center, adorning most of the classroom wall with murals of Dr. Seuss-esque characters.
Tech. Sgt. Christopher Monroe is an Air Force electrical engineer assigned to Combined Joint Task Force-1. He said he has a special appreciation for the program, because part of his military duty includes assisting the transition of the engineering mission to Afghan control. As a volunteer, Monroe fulfills two roles; he works with students and takes on maintenance needs at the facility.
Monroe's own son gives him another perspective on the possible long-term effects of the program.
"I have a child myself, and this is teaching me how to teach him. It really touches home when I'm with these kids. This program is extremely valuable because it gives the kids a different idea of what Americans are like. Our kids might someday meet these kids. This gives them a chance to see that Americans aren't as bad as they thought they were, because we taught them to read and count," Monroe said.
The staff said the program shows strong promise for even further growth. Before Captain Johnson completed her tour and returned to the United States in October, she began a third class and increased enrollment to 120 children. Donations from families and groups in the United States continue to grow, so far keeping up with the increasing need for supplies.
Students, their families and local communities seem to have strongly embraced the efforts of the men and women reaching out to them as well -- more than 300 kids' names are on the waiting list for the next class.
