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JBSA News
NEWS | Nov. 2, 2016

U.S. Army Environmental Command, local school partner to help students learn to love math, science

U.S. Army Environmental Command

The U.S. Army Environmental Command, or USAEC, at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston held an adoption celebration Sept. 29 in honor of their Adopt-a-School partnership at Fort Sam Houston Elementary School.

 

The command and school have enjoyed this partnership for five years and with each new commander, the adoption is recertified to renew the commitment between the two entities.

 

Col. Timothy Greenhaw, USAEC commander, and Dr. Gail Siller, Fort Sam Houston Independent School District superintendent, signed the partnership agreement.

 

Dr. Joseph Cerna, school principal, met with USAEC’s newest commander during the summer to solidify the support agreement and coordinate a calendar of events for the year.

 

The first event involving the school’s teachers happened in August. A scavenger hunt around the post led teachers to a variety of locations, including the USAEC building, where they were photographed with a Cougar poster to prove they found their adopt-a-school partner.

 

During the ceremony, Cerna reminded attendees of the many events conducted in the past as a result of this partnership. Students, who provided the entertainment for the ceremony, presented “thank you” cards to Greenhaw with pictures they’d colored representing some of the events, as well as their song of gratitude.

 

Siller added her appreciation, recounting how much the children remember of their interactions with USAEC employees. She reminisced of an event with USAEC’s entomologist where spiders and hissing cockroaches entertained the children as they learned about what makes a bug a bug and how they adapt to their surroundings.

 

“Whether it’s our bug guy, map guy or a science guy or gal, the U.S. Army Environmental Command stands ready to support the teachers and students of Fort Sam Houston Elementary School to help them be successful,” Greenhaw said.

 

He also thanked the school for including USAEC in some of the school family events and noted USAEC employees get as much out of the adoption as the children and teachers do.