thedrifter
02-01-06, 07:14 AM
February 1, 2006
Marines help teach science to Milton eighth-graders
By Karen Blackledge
The Daily Item
MILTON — How many middle school kids can you cram into the back of a Humvee?
In the case of one class of Milton Middle School eighth-graders, 15 stuffed themselves in the back.
Another class managed to get 16 in the back.
The occasion was U.S. Marines visiting the school Tuesday to tell pupils in eighth-grade science classes about their protective equipment and Meals Ready to Eat, or MREs.
Marines Sgt. Matthew Bakale and Jeremiah Roote, both of the Wyoming, Pa., Marines Unit, said the Humvee Model 1123 can snorkel in up to five feet of water. "It's good for four-wheeling and riding in deep mud. It does hill climbing," Mr. Bakale said. Besides squeezing into the back of the vehicle, the pupils checked out the front and back seats of the Humvee.
"The most Marines you can get in the back with full gear is eight," said Mr. Bakale, who lives in Plymouth.
Speaking inside were Marines Sgt. Mindy Saurock and Cpl. Brian Feiss, also of the Wyoming unit. The Marines, except for Mr. Feiss, returned last February from serving in Iraq.
The Marines showed the kids how the MREs are heated without flames. "It's a chemical reaction. We are studying chemical reactions. It is called an exothermic reaction," said the pupils' science teacher, Jim Hostetter.
The youths got a chance to sample the MREs. Several girls tasted chocolate pudding made from a cocoa powder mix. "It's really good. It's really chocolatey," Alesha Emery said. "I like it better than the store pudding," said pupil Gabrielle Seibert.
Sampling a grape-flavored drink was Carin Hauck, who said it "was really cold."
Alesha next tried the mashed potatoes that were part of a hot turkey meal. "They are really creamy and really sweet," she said.
Brittany Snyder smeared jelly on wheat bread, which Carin said was soft and tasty. She also tried some of the peanut butter, which she said was good.
Some of the youths said they preferred the MREs to school lunches.
They also sampled crackers, pretzels, M&Ms, a sports bar and applesauce. They checked out beef and teriyaki sauce and vegetables and chow mein noodles.
"There's a handbook the Marines have that shows you how to make the foods," Mr. Feiss said.
Mr. Feiss also showed the classes protective gear such as a gas mask with a drinking system connected to a canteen, kits to ward off a nerve agent attack and body armor.
The eighth-graders got to try on the gas masks and helmets. Mr. Feiss said the latest protection is for shoulders, the sides and the lower back.
E-mail comments to kblackledge@dailyitem.com.
Ellie
Marines help teach science to Milton eighth-graders
By Karen Blackledge
The Daily Item
MILTON — How many middle school kids can you cram into the back of a Humvee?
In the case of one class of Milton Middle School eighth-graders, 15 stuffed themselves in the back.
Another class managed to get 16 in the back.
The occasion was U.S. Marines visiting the school Tuesday to tell pupils in eighth-grade science classes about their protective equipment and Meals Ready to Eat, or MREs.
Marines Sgt. Matthew Bakale and Jeremiah Roote, both of the Wyoming, Pa., Marines Unit, said the Humvee Model 1123 can snorkel in up to five feet of water. "It's good for four-wheeling and riding in deep mud. It does hill climbing," Mr. Bakale said. Besides squeezing into the back of the vehicle, the pupils checked out the front and back seats of the Humvee.
"The most Marines you can get in the back with full gear is eight," said Mr. Bakale, who lives in Plymouth.
Speaking inside were Marines Sgt. Mindy Saurock and Cpl. Brian Feiss, also of the Wyoming unit. The Marines, except for Mr. Feiss, returned last February from serving in Iraq.
The Marines showed the kids how the MREs are heated without flames. "It's a chemical reaction. We are studying chemical reactions. It is called an exothermic reaction," said the pupils' science teacher, Jim Hostetter.
The youths got a chance to sample the MREs. Several girls tasted chocolate pudding made from a cocoa powder mix. "It's really good. It's really chocolatey," Alesha Emery said. "I like it better than the store pudding," said pupil Gabrielle Seibert.
Sampling a grape-flavored drink was Carin Hauck, who said it "was really cold."
Alesha next tried the mashed potatoes that were part of a hot turkey meal. "They are really creamy and really sweet," she said.
Brittany Snyder smeared jelly on wheat bread, which Carin said was soft and tasty. She also tried some of the peanut butter, which she said was good.
Some of the youths said they preferred the MREs to school lunches.
They also sampled crackers, pretzels, M&Ms, a sports bar and applesauce. They checked out beef and teriyaki sauce and vegetables and chow mein noodles.
"There's a handbook the Marines have that shows you how to make the foods," Mr. Feiss said.
Mr. Feiss also showed the classes protective gear such as a gas mask with a drinking system connected to a canteen, kits to ward off a nerve agent attack and body armor.
The eighth-graders got to try on the gas masks and helmets. Mr. Feiss said the latest protection is for shoulders, the sides and the lower back.
E-mail comments to kblackledge@dailyitem.com.
Ellie