AIEA, Hawaii - Soldiers from the 8th Special Troops Battalion joined their command team in delivering school supplies to the battalion's partnership school, Gustav H. Webling Elementary School in Aiea, Hawaii, May 14, 2015.
Lt. Col. Mark E. Parsons, 8th STB commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. James A. Shuman, 8th STB command sergeant major lead the group of volunteers who brought more than $1,000 worth of supplies including printing paper, writing paper, pens, pencils, erasers, markers, crayons, headsets and other items.
The battalion typically donates about once a year but is planning another delivery for the end of this school year to be used for the beginning of the next school year.
"This is the second year in row that the 8th STB has provided the much-needed school supplies," Shuman said. "The Army's School Partnership Program provides an opportunity for the Army Community to support our local schools."
Shuman also mentioned the battalion supports the school, which has more than 600 students, through volunteering in weekly Physical Education training every Tuesday and Wednesday morning.
"The [8th] STB has helped prepare students for the Presidential Physical Fitness Award, where eight students received this prestigious award," Shuman said.
The Presidential Physical Fitness Award is an award students can earn by scoring at or above 85 percent in five categories: Curl-ups/partial curl-ups, shuttle run, v-sit reach/ sit and reach, one-mile run and pullups/right angle pushups.
"Additionally, Soldiers in the battalion have helped with emergency drills at the school by providing enough bottled water for emergency stocks to accommodate the entire school," Shuman added.
Shuman also said the 8th STB helped the school by downloading goods for fundraisers, area beautification, Halloween Haunted House and planting a garden at the school.
"Developing good partnerships helps develop good relations in the community," Shuman said. "It sheds a positive light on the military as a whole for these children.
"In the future, some of these children may choose to serve because of some of those positive impressions," Shuman added. "But for even those who choose not to serve, it helps to better develop children just by giving."
Webling Elementary was built in 1967 and is named after Gustav H. Webling, who served as a teacher and principal in the Territorial Department of Public Instruction for 36 years.
The school teaches kindergarten through sixth grade and is comprised of both military and civilian students.
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