thedrifter
06-05-09, 07:57 AM
Boy gets special gifts from Marines for kindergarten graduation
Comments 2 | Recommend 3
June 4, 2009 - 5:23 PM
BY WILLIAM ROLLER, SUN STAFF WRITER
Alan Gonzalez received one of the best gifts a son could get from a father stationed overseas in the military - his safe return home.
Staff Sgt. Alonso Smith, an explosive ordnance technician with Marine Wing Support Squadron 371, was injured by an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan recently.
Yet he's now recuperating at the naval hospital in Bethesda, Md. Though he could not attend his son Alan's promotion from kindergarten to first grade at Harvest Preparatory Academy Thursday, he sent along several keepsakes and a letter read aloud by the 371st's Chief Warrant Officer Simon Wade.
"Alan, I'm very proud of you today. I know we worked hard together and I want you to know I'll keep on being there for you," Smith wrote his son.
Wade then gave to Alan his father's dogtags, and he stressed he especially wanted him to have the Eagle, Globe and Anchor, the Marine emblem.
"Alan had no idea we were coming today, we set it up as a complete surprise," Wade said. "And we'll take back all the videos (of the kindergarten promotion) back to Alonso now that he's recovering nicely."
Wade said that it was extremely important to Smith to know how Alan was doing despite his injuries.
"As I was sitting at his bedside yesterday, he's asking me how was his team," Wade said. "His level of selflessness is amazing to me, it's beyond reproach. Even from his hospital bed he showed concern for his fellow Marines. That's what Marines do. They take care of their fellow Marines."
And while recovering Staff Sgt. Smith had a distinguished visitor - President Barack Obama - who presented him with a Purple Heart for his injury. Smith was not just indiscriminately injured by the IED, but it is his job to find the devices and disarm them. The Marines were honored to be at Harvest Prep to assist Smith's family and speed his healing process, Wade said.
Alan's mother, Dulce, was also by his father's bedside so she could not attend his promotion ceremony, but expressed her pride in Alan's promotion in another letter read aloud.
But offering moral support for Alan was Dulce's brother, Albert Celaya, 17, a senior at Harvest Prep. Albert said he is very proud of Alan and is sure he will go all the way to college.
Although the family was upset upon first learning of Smith's injuries, they have complete confidence he will make a full recovery.
"Dulce's in control of the situation and she'll spend the next month in Maryland," Albert said. "I think Alonso is a really good man, brave and I'm very proud of him."
Alan said he was sad and worried when he first heard the news about his father, but he is happy now that he knows his father is safe. He also said he is glad to move up to first grade but he will miss his teacher Ms. Palencia.
Harvest Prep director Mario Ybarra said the school hopes to make the kindergarten celebration a more significant event and use it as an opportunity to build a strong parent/school relationship and strengthen school culture. He also said the Marine Corps serves as Alan's support mechanism to help his family in this difficult time.
"We're fortunate in our community to have systems in place, strong schools and families," Ybarra said. "Alan is very resilient and the Marines are his pillars to coping with his situation."
There were 68 students promoted from kindergarten to first grade and another 11 who advanced from preschool to kindergarten. Ybarra added there are three things important for the success of a student: teachers and their schools, parents and families, and the students themselves.
"When all three work in a unified effort, the success of the student is inevitable," he said. "I think Alan has all three."
--
William Roller can reached at wroller@yumasun.com or 539-6858.
Ellie
Comments 2 | Recommend 3
June 4, 2009 - 5:23 PM
BY WILLIAM ROLLER, SUN STAFF WRITER
Alan Gonzalez received one of the best gifts a son could get from a father stationed overseas in the military - his safe return home.
Staff Sgt. Alonso Smith, an explosive ordnance technician with Marine Wing Support Squadron 371, was injured by an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan recently.
Yet he's now recuperating at the naval hospital in Bethesda, Md. Though he could not attend his son Alan's promotion from kindergarten to first grade at Harvest Preparatory Academy Thursday, he sent along several keepsakes and a letter read aloud by the 371st's Chief Warrant Officer Simon Wade.
"Alan, I'm very proud of you today. I know we worked hard together and I want you to know I'll keep on being there for you," Smith wrote his son.
Wade then gave to Alan his father's dogtags, and he stressed he especially wanted him to have the Eagle, Globe and Anchor, the Marine emblem.
"Alan had no idea we were coming today, we set it up as a complete surprise," Wade said. "And we'll take back all the videos (of the kindergarten promotion) back to Alonso now that he's recovering nicely."
Wade said that it was extremely important to Smith to know how Alan was doing despite his injuries.
"As I was sitting at his bedside yesterday, he's asking me how was his team," Wade said. "His level of selflessness is amazing to me, it's beyond reproach. Even from his hospital bed he showed concern for his fellow Marines. That's what Marines do. They take care of their fellow Marines."
And while recovering Staff Sgt. Smith had a distinguished visitor - President Barack Obama - who presented him with a Purple Heart for his injury. Smith was not just indiscriminately injured by the IED, but it is his job to find the devices and disarm them. The Marines were honored to be at Harvest Prep to assist Smith's family and speed his healing process, Wade said.
Alan's mother, Dulce, was also by his father's bedside so she could not attend his promotion ceremony, but expressed her pride in Alan's promotion in another letter read aloud.
But offering moral support for Alan was Dulce's brother, Albert Celaya, 17, a senior at Harvest Prep. Albert said he is very proud of Alan and is sure he will go all the way to college.
Although the family was upset upon first learning of Smith's injuries, they have complete confidence he will make a full recovery.
"Dulce's in control of the situation and she'll spend the next month in Maryland," Albert said. "I think Alonso is a really good man, brave and I'm very proud of him."
Alan said he was sad and worried when he first heard the news about his father, but he is happy now that he knows his father is safe. He also said he is glad to move up to first grade but he will miss his teacher Ms. Palencia.
Harvest Prep director Mario Ybarra said the school hopes to make the kindergarten celebration a more significant event and use it as an opportunity to build a strong parent/school relationship and strengthen school culture. He also said the Marine Corps serves as Alan's support mechanism to help his family in this difficult time.
"We're fortunate in our community to have systems in place, strong schools and families," Ybarra said. "Alan is very resilient and the Marines are his pillars to coping with his situation."
There were 68 students promoted from kindergarten to first grade and another 11 who advanced from preschool to kindergarten. Ybarra added there are three things important for the success of a student: teachers and their schools, parents and families, and the students themselves.
"When all three work in a unified effort, the success of the student is inevitable," he said. "I think Alan has all three."
--
William Roller can reached at wroller@yumasun.com or 539-6858.
Ellie