94TH AAMDC Commanding General supports "Tell Me A Story"

More than 40 parents and children packed into the elementary school's cafeteria here, to listen to the book Crow Call read by the 94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command Commanding General.

The Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) "Tell Me A Story" event, organized by the Schofield Barracks/Parent to Parent team, featured Brig. Gen. James H. Dickinson, 94th AAMDC commanding general and his wife Angie Dickinson as the guest readers on November 30, 2011.

"This event was very family orientated," said Master Sgt. LaVaughn Brown, United States Army Pacific Command, G4 mobility noncommissioned officer. "This was a great opportunity to sit down with my kids and relax while enjoying a story."

Crow Call is a book written by Lois Lowry and is about the author's own individual account of connecting with her father who has just returned from war.

"I really enjoyed listening to the story and enjoying the family time," said Teresa Vaughn, United States Coast Guard spouse.

Following the story there was time set aside for arts and crafts where the children had the opportunity to make crows out of black paper bags and talk about the story to make sure that they not only listened to the story but also comprehended it.

"I liked the arts and crafts with the crow," said 4-year-old Rebeca Vaughn, a student at Navy Hale Keiki School.

The Dickinson's later stated they enjoyed the Tell Me A Story" event because it reminded them of the times when they read books to their children and since the children have gotten older, they don't get the opportunity to read stories to them now.

The "Tell Me A Story" program's mission is to empower our military children by using literature and their own stories in a way that fosters skills for resilience, strong peer and parent connections, a sense of pride and accomplishment, and a caring community.