Mentors add up to success

  • Published
  • By Ashley M. Wright
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Fifteen members of the 325th Contracting Squadron spent the last several months mentoring students Hiland Park Elementary as part of the school's improvement plan.

The group mentored fourth and fifth grade students for the last half of the school year. Activities ranged from math jeopardy to outdoor games.

"These kids are very valuable," said Ken Longstreet, 325th Contracting Squadron contraction officer and civil engineering infrastructure team lead. "It is so cool when you see them building confidence."

The confidence also came with improved test scores for the school's yearly examine. While there is no way to know if the individual mentoring contributed directly toward the schools increased test scores, Mr. Longstreet feels certain the one-on-one time with the students every week helped.

"I loved it when they came to you and said 'look what I did,'" Mr. Longstreet said. "Even if we help one kid, it is a success."

In total, the group helped 11 students. The squadron mentors would stay late on Fridays to make up for the lost time in the office and the volunteers even showed up at the school on their days off to show their commitment to the students, he added.

"We told them we are committed to them," Mr. Longstreet said. "We would talk about their day."

The mentoring sessions concluded with a graduation where the students were presented a coin by the squadron commander.

"One of Air Force core values is service before self and this mentorship program was a great opportunity for my Airmen to serve the community outside the base," said Lt. Col. Antonio Gonzalez, 325th CONS commander. "I know both the students and Airmen's lives have been positively impacted. The recent News Herald's article about Hiland Park's fourth and fifth grade [Florida's Comprehensive Assessment Test] scores improving are the short term results, hopefully we'll hear about the college degrees and successful careers as the long term results. The squadron has been rewarded with this opportunity and we look forward to serving the local community and representing Tyndall Air Force Base in the near future."

The group plans to continue helping a new group of students next year, Mr. Longstreet said.