Posted on 07/30/2007 5:37:03 PM PDT by SandRat
School receives much-needed structural repairs.
BAGHDAD, July 30, 2007 — Waoud kindergartners, 4-year-old Huda and her sister, 6-year-old Sara, waited all day in their fancy dresses and stood in the Baghdad heat to perform the most important duty they’d ever faced. Their job was to carry a small pair of scissors that would be used for the ribbon-cutting ceremony at their newly, renovated school.
"The renovations make us all very happy especially the furniture and the color; it’s a happy color."
Batool Shaker The school’s vice headmistress
On break from school, Sara showed up with her mother, one of the school’s teachers. When the team of Kindi Neighborhood Advisory Council (NAC) bigwigs showed up in their sweat-ringed shirts and ties, she got up out of her seat and handed them to the chairman, Hassan Al-Kharsan who cut the ribbon in front of a small crowd.
The reopening of the kindergarten was a “big change” to what the school was like during the last 16 years, said Al-Kharsan.
“Overall, I’m very happy,” said Batool Shaker, the school’s vice headmistress. “The renovations make us all very happy especially the furniture and the color; it’s a happy color.”
The school, which houses around 250 children in 12 classrooms, was in need of much repair to not only the structure, but also the playgrounds. So, the Kindi NAC sought out contractors who would do the work to their liking.
The renovations included new floor tiles, furniture, new soil and grass in the playgrounds, new playground gym sets, new bathroom and water pipes, and a fresh, new paint job with contemporary cartoon characters.
According to Shaker, there are only a few other changes the staff said they’d like to see. She said a vehicle to transport the children and pick up their food and milk would be really nice.
Waoud Kindergarten sits in an area currently patrolled by Company E, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, attached to the 4th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division.
According to Capt. Greg Turner, Company E’s commander, Kindi, through its strong NAC, has great potential.
“They’ve got the best LNO (liaison officer) and a great community,” said the Butler, Pa. native. Company E’s 1st Platoon and elements of 4-9 Cavalry were on hand to attend the ceremony.
“This is your day,” Lt. Col. Patrick Matlock, 4-9 Cavalry’s commander told Al-Kharsan. The Chico, Calif. native said the NAC and the workers did a great job seeing the project through to the school’s reopening.
Whatever forward progress was made by the Kindi NAC, 6-year-old Sara was just happy that one day she can go back to her newly-renovated school.
“I’m going to play games, sing songs and have fun,” Sara said. “I fell happy and excited.”
Harry and Nancy couldn’t care less.....
NO PICTURES????! DARN!
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