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MAG-39 Supports Read Across America
(March 12, 2011) |
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Lance Cpl. Micheal Hollar, a maintenance administrator with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364, poses with Alex Hernandez, a 2nd-grade student, at Vista Academy of Visual and Performing Arts March 4,
2011. |
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VISTA, Calif. (MCN - 3/8/2011) — Lance Cpl. Micheal Hollar
patiently answered interview questions for young students.
He told them his name, his job and even gave them his
mailing address so they could be pen pals. The 2nd-grade
students struggled to form the correct words in large block
letters, but treated the interview with awe-struck
reverence.
Hollar was one of approximately 100 Marines
volunteering to read to, mentor and interact with
children at Vista Academy of Visual and Performing
Arts.
Marines from Marine Aircraft Group 39
gathered at the school March 4 to support Read
Across America an annual celebration of reading in
honor of Dr. Seuss's birthday. The nation-wide event
occurs in any National Education
Association-supported school. |
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Dr. Janet
Newman, a teacher at the school, explained that the
goal of the event is to have every child read with a
caring adult. Newman added that she has invited
various units from Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
to support the celebration of reading since 2000
because she believes Marines provide positive role
models for
the students.
Helpful Marines manned reading-centric stations prepared by
teachers in each classroom, from the 1st grade through the
8th. One station challenged students to construct a bridge
based on a book about bridges, while another had Marines
painting children's faces with camouflage based on
camouflage books.
Hollar, a maintenance
administrator with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364,
assisted students with interview skills - where students
practiced transcribing verbal answers to the written word.
Hollar did not realize that one of his students
battles a learning disability. The young boy - “Alex” -
rarely writes, and when he does it is a struggle. Hollar
never noticed a difference between the students' writing
abilities while he patiently helped each one compose his
answers.
When the Marine discovered the subtle
difference between Alex and his peers, his eyes grew wide.
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Lance Cpl. Patrick Mims, an airframer with Marine Aircraft Group 39, helps Yair Ibanez read a Dr. Seuss classic in Vista March 4,
2011. |
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“I had no idea,” said Hollar. “Knowing how motivated
he was made my day. Sometimes students just need motivation.
Hopefully from now on he'll know that he can do it.”
Maybe it was Hollar's crisp uniform. Maybe it was his
seasoned mentoring ability - the Marine grew up with a
teacher for a mother and volunteers with JROTC every time he
goes home. Something about Hollar struck a nerve in Alex,
and drove him to put pen to paper with the eagerness of
every other student for the first time.
“All
students need people to look up to,” said Newman. “I love to
see how the kids look at the Marines with awe and the
Marines are so open with the kids. There is no question that
this is a good influence and a positive experience.” |
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This Read
Across America event provided a positive experience for
the volunteers and the students. Marines like Hollar got to
be heroes for an entire school, and students like Alex found
the drive to read and write - some for the first time.
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Article and photos by USMC LCpl. Lisa M. Tourtelot
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
Copyright 2011 | |
Reprinted from
Marine Corps News
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