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Iraqi children go from mud hut to new school

By Multi-National Division - North PAOSeptember 28, 2009

Sgt. 1st Class Carl Lay, a Carrollton, Texas, native and the essential services representative for 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, speaks with one of the engineers at the site of a new school being constructed in Chemin, Iraq, Sept. 8....
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. 1st Class Carl Lay, a Carrollton, Texas, native and the essential services representative for 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, speaks with one of the engineers at the site of a new school being constructed in Chemin, Iraq, Sept. 8.... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Sgt. 1st Class Mark Haliburton, a Midway, Ala., native and a military police platoon leader with 2nd Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, stands in front of the new school being constructed in Chemin, Iraq, during ...
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. 1st Class Mark Haliburton, a Midway, Ala., native and a military police platoon leader with 2nd Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, stands in front of the new school being constructed in Chemin, Iraq, during ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Soldiers from 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, talk to the Mukhtar of Chemin, Iraq, as they stand outside of the village's old school during an inspection Sept. 8. A new school is being constructed to replace this one, and it will give ...
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Soldiers from 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, talk to the Mukhtar of Chemin, Iraq, as they stand outside of the village's old school during an inspection Sept. 8. A new school is being constructed to replace this one, and it will give ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARRIOR, KIRKUK, Iraq- The school children in the village of Chemin in Kirkuk province, Iraq, have always known the small mud house on the outskirts of their village as their school.

Although the classrooms were so small that only a few children could fit in at one time, with only a couple of desks for the more than 30 kids to share, they made do with what they had.

But this is all about to change for the children of this small village as a new school enters the final stages of construction thanks to help from 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division.

The new school, which will serve children up to the sixth grade, will be able to accommodate many more students than the previous school, according to Sgt. 1st Class Carl Lay, a Carrollton, Texas, native and the essential services liaison officer for 2nd BCT.

"The children just didn't have enough room in their old school," Lay said.

The school has been under construction for approximately 80 days and will soon be furnished with new equipment, including desks, chalkboards, curtains and other needed supplies.

"We had to rent the hut for the school before," said the village mukhtar, Jyhad Muhammed. "This is going to make a big difference to this area."

Jyhad was excited at the prospect of what the children in his village might be able to accomplish with the education they will receive at the new school.

"They will be able to go much further in life with a good education," he said. "We are so happy they will have the chance."

"When they see the new school, they will be excited to learn again," said Jyhad.

The youth in the village are even more excited about the new school than their elders.

"Our last school was built of mud," explained 10-year old Hussein Qasim. "We are really excited about the new school. It's much better to have a bigger and a newer school. I will be able to study much better and do new things there."

"We wanted to give them an environment that is conducive to learning," said Lt. Col. Hugh McNeely, the deputy commanding officer of 2nd BCT.

The building of the school also had an added benefit to the community.

According to Jyhad, many of the villagers are unemployed, and were able to get jobs working on this project.

Lay paid his fourth visit to the site Sept. 8, and was pleased to see the school construction was on track.

"If ya'll are willing to put your kids in this school, then I'm willing to put my kids in this school," he joked with one of the engineers at the site of the project.

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