Children rush toward a new school building before a school opening ceremony, March 2, in the village of Al Khanik, Iraq. Photo by Pfc. Cassandra Monroe

After joint efforts from both U.S. Army and Iraqi officials, a new school officially opened during a ceremony, March 2, in the village of Al Khanik, Iraq.

The school, which has been under construction for four months, was built with the village’s future in mind and to house the students in the growing community.

“The old school had only three classrooms, said Arif Jabbar Mutar, the chairman of Tikrit City Council. “It’s not enough to absorb all students from the village.”

With six classrooms, working latrines and two rooms for the teachers, this school will pave the way toward education. The new school has enough room to house 200, 6-to-12-year-old students and their teachers.

“We are so happy because we’re going to lead these kids to their right future,” said Khaled Hamad Yassin, the school’s headmaster. “We have to build their future. Education is very important for every single student over here. They have to understand, they have to learn, and they have to read. At this school, we can provide a better education and better future for the students. The success will have a higher percentage here than the old school.”

The ceremony included U.S. Army guests Lt. Col. Nora Marcos and Command Sgt. Maj. Byron Loyd, the Division Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division commander and command sergeant major.

The ceremony began with a formal ribbon cutting, signaling the school’s grand opening, which was eagerly met with joyous applause. Guests then moved back to their seats and listened as the 3ID Band played Iraq’s national anthem, while school children raised the Iraqi flag.

Following the raising of the flag, children performed various forms of entertainment, such as poems, songs and religious prayers, all met with great applause from the crowd.

Yassin, the headmaster, stood in front of the crowd and spoke words of encouragement for a brighter future for the children and for Iraq.

“The future will be very bright,” he said. “If the kids can have an education, the country will be very educated and have a much better future.”

Marcos echoed the headmaster.

“I just want to say what an honor it is to be here with you at the opening of this school,” she said. “Congratulations to the engineers and builders, who created this wonderful place, and I thank the provincial government for their support in this project.”

After the ceremony, Marcos took some time to make her way around the courtyard, speaking to guests and school children. Along with a crowd of eager children, she made her way around the new school to see the new classrooms. As soon as the children saw their new desks, coloring books and crayons they rushed toward them. Taking their seats for the first time in their new classrooms, Marcos joined the children at their desks and posed for a few photos.

“As the inspectors came during the building process, they said they’ve never seen something built so well, so quickly,” said Marcos.

The last stop on the tour included a room where some of the women and their children congregated.

“It really bridges a gap with these kids to see Soldiers here, giving and being a part of this,” she said. “It’s these ladies, who are teachers, seeing Soldiers helping and seeing a female involved … makes a difference.”

For Marcos though, this ceremony is a revisit to a book, she read when she first arrived here in Iraq.

“It’s about a guy who helped build schools in Pakistan and how the construction of schools and the education of children bridged cultural and religious gaps,” she said. She relates the book to the current situation here in Iraq and at the ceremony.

“That’s what we did here and will continue to do with every project and most importantly, every partnering opportunity we have with the Iraqis. We’re allowing the Iraqis to take the lead and develop some answers to their issues and put them forward where they should be.”

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Story by Pfc. Cassandra Monroe

Iraqi police and U.S. Soldiers carry a bag of book bags to a school in the Faylaq neighborhood during their combined humanitarian mission, Dec. 22. Photo by Pfc. Jessica Luhrs

Three hundred Iraqi schoolchildren in the village of Faylaq, near the Iraqi city of Kirkuk, Iraq, were treated to a surprise donation of school necessities Dec. 22.

In an effort to improve education in Kirkuk, Iraqi police and members of the Al-Atyah Women’s Organization, assisted by Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, attached to 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, donated school supplies for children.

This humanitarian mission was a part of a larger mission to reach out to the people in this neighborhood, said Hanna Hasan Husein, a leader at Al-Atyah.

U.S. Army 1st Lt. Russell Raines, the 1st platoon leader for B-Company, 1st Batt., 30th Inf. Regt., whose platoon helped the IP’s and Women’s Organization members in delivering the supplies, believes these combined activities are important to stability in the region.

The progress the IP’s, AAWO and U.S. forces are making in the villages can already be seen, according to Husein. The children are talking to the IP’s and Soldiers, laughing, smiling and at one point the children were singing with the IP’s.

Humanitarian aid plays a huge part in the fight we are in now, said Husein. It allows the people to see the IP are here to also help them, not just conduct raids or combat patrols.

It is important for the Iraqi population to see the IP’s and U.S. forces conducting these types of operations which show that we are allies and not occupiers, according to Raines.

Raines also feels it is a welcome change of pace for him and his Soldiers to be able to help children.

For everyone involved it is a powerful experience, through partnership we were able to improve the lives of these students, Raines explained.

“The IP and U.S. forces mission here is the people of Iraq,” said Raines. “We want them to know we are all here to protect them and keep them safe.”

“Throughout their time here, 1st Batt., 30th Inf. Reg. plans on assisting the Iraqi police and AAWO,” said Raines.

According to Raines, U.S. forces, the IP’s and Women’s Organization will continue to deliver school supplies and other items not available to students.

“This helps the community build a relationship of trust with the IP’s and hopefully a better future,” said Raines.

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Story by Pfc. Jessica Luhrs

To improve the learning environment and overall welfare of about 35 elementary school students in Kani Mayor Village, Iraq, Feb. 12, Kurdish regional government leaders and U.S. Coalition forces opened the doors to a new, insolated, five-room schoolhouse, complete with instructor-living quarters.

Kurdish Regional Government leaders and Coalition forces inaugurated the first, permanent educational facility Feb. 12 in the mountainous region of Kani Mayor Village, Iraq.

The new school supports growing educational needs and serves as a platform for the future economic stability of the Kani Mayor Village and surrounding communities of Panjwin, Iraq.

“When decent schools are not available for their children, parents have traditionally packed up and moved from their villages to the city. After awhile, due to the exodus of people, the village’s economy begins to suffer,” said the tribal leader.

“By putting brick on brick, it is proof you are not only protecting our people from terrorists, but also caring for our children’s educational future,” said the regional education director. “Thank you for giving the children a place to study and have a future.”

The modern schoolhouse is fully equipped with five roomy classrooms, two bathrooms, new desks, textbooks and overhead lighting. Additionally, in an effort to attract and retain the most qualified educators, a separate building was constructed to serve as living quarters for the instructors.

Village children expressed sincere appreciation for the new facility to KRG leaders and were ecstatic to leave behind their temporary schoolhouse, which was a loaned-out chicken coop from one of the local farmers.

“It’s nice to finally be rid of that old school and not have to share (my new school) with chickens,” said a 13-year-old girl, who is excited to get back to school and continue her Arabic lessons.

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Members from the Jurf Nadaf community and Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 35th Armor Regiment, Multi-National Division—Baghdad met Feb. 12 for a ribbon cutting celebration at the Al Ghasacena Primary School to celebrate completion of a major refurbishment to the school.

Teachers and staff of the Al Ghasacena School held the celebration to emphasize the reconstruction gains in the area. The newly refurbished school provides an improved educational environment for children in the area. With funding from the Commander’s Emergency Relief Program, the project included the addition of nine new classrooms and construction of a new restroom facility.

The ceremony included student performances and comments from Nahia Council members including Abdul Razzaq, Councilman and Education Committee Chairman for Jisr Diyala.

“Since the ’Iron Knights’ began their deployment in the Jisr Diyala Nahia in April 2008, they have worked hard to improve the quality of education received by the students in the area,” said Abdul. “In total they have completed over 16 education projects at a cost of over $2,500,000.”

During the celebration, students from each age group at the Al Ghasacena School performed short skits and dances.

“It is wonderful to receive appreciation from the populace for a job well done. This celebration was a very fun and entertaining gesture of that Iraqi appreciation,” said Capt. Andrew Besser, the civil military operations officer of Task Force 1-35 Armor.

The Al Ghasacena School located in Jurf Nadaf West is historically set on a sectarian fault line but now enjoys relative peace and cooperation.

“This project is successful because of the gains in security that have been accomplished over the past six months by [Coalition forces] and the National Police,” said Razzaq. “God willing, the peace will continue: We will continue to rebuild Iraq, and our children will enjoy a safe, prosperous future.”

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