Staff members and leaders of the Donna Kirby School Age Center on Fort Knox celebrated an important reaccreditation win with an awards ceremony Feb. 10 attended by the garrison commander and command sergeant major.
About 18 staff members earned Certificates of Achievement and four leaders earned Civilian Service Commendation Medals for their combined efforts, presented by Col. CJ King and Command Sgt. Maj. Garrick Griffin.
Before the awarding, Rayceil Oggs, director of Child & Youth Services at the installation, reflected on how far the Fort Knox Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation has come since the 1990s to earn its first accreditation and subsequent reaccreditations.
"The Fort Knox School Age Program was the first in the Army to be accredited, and we took a lot of pride in that," said Oggs. "We have a long, proud history of challenges, struggles, pain, and mostly joy when it comes to accreditation and reaccreditation. In the midst of everything, we always kept focused, providing a happy, joy-filled program for the children and their families where they can interact in a rich learning environment, build loving relationships, and participate in interesting experiences."
Oggs concluded by reading off a list of names of personnel who have started at the SAC before moving to the child development center in key leadership positions.
"The SAC and CDC have supported each other for years and years and years," said Oggs.
Griffin and King thanked the staff members for their accomplishment.
"What you do with the kids on a day-to-day basis, y'all are true Soldiers," said Griffin. "I told you when me and the boss came and did the rally that you were going to do well. Y'all didn't need us."
King agreed.
"It's clear that this is a professional organization with caring, compassionate people -- that you're invested in the position as well as people's kids," said King. "I admire what you do."
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