Soldiers from 4th Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment adopted Salado High School as part of the Fort Hood Adopt-A-School Program during a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the school's gym here, April 3.
"This is a special day for us," said Lt. Col. David Foley, commander, 4th Squadron, 3rd Cav. Regt. "This program is really a privilege and honor for us to give back. We are here for everyone sitting here today."
Foley's feelings about the partnership were shared by Burt Smith, principal, Salado High School.
"What a valuable thing, what a blessing," Smith said. "Many schools don't have this. We're very honored and privileged. Soldiers are, in my opinion, the most incredible men and women in this country. They voluntarily go out and defend for us the very freedoms we enjoy and take for granted."
As he spoke to his students assembled in the gym's bleachers, Smith wanted his audience to understand the opportunities afforded them by the partnership.
"I really hope you understand what we can gain and learn from mentoring and partnering with the Soldiers that come in each week, talk to us and share with us the incredible life experiences they have, and how you take the education you are getting here and apply it in real life," Smith said.
When the Soldiers go to the school and share those real-life experiences, Smith said he is hopeful the students will understand the importance of the subjects being taught to them on a daily basis.
"With a Soldier, they come in and talk about how they were deployed in a foreign country and performed a specific duty," Smith said. "Let's say they were monitoring radar systems. They can talk about how geometry and algebra was used in real life and how it's important."
The benefits to the school will be plentiful, but the Adopt-A-School Program is mutually beneficial, said Jason Johnson, school liaison officer for Fort Hood.
"It's a symbiotic relationship; that's how it's set up. It's for the Soldiers to be able to go out and provide things like tutoring, mentoring, leadership skills and talk about the Army values," Johnson said. "In return, there's the benefit of providing direct service and information to the school. Also, if they were to deploy, (there's the benefit of) being able to get pen pals, gift packages or other things of that nature. There remains a constant level of support, whether they are deployed or not. What we do is align the needs of the school with the strengths of the unit, so it really makes for a great relationship."
As the ceremony to begin the relationship between Salado High School and squadron came to a close, Foley eagerly spoke of the new partnership.
"Thank you all. I am looking forward to this, as my leaders over here are as well. This is going to be a fantastic adventure," he said. "We appreciate you all coming out, taking a short time out of class today, to come be a part of this magnificent ceremony."
Smith believes the adventure will not only help the students individually, but the school as a whole.
"I think the benefits we're going to receive from partnering with 4-3 CR will only cause us to become a better school," he said. "It's going to give our students an edge as they go on and leave secondary school and move on to a career or go off to college. The things they will learn outside the school can only benefit them."
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