ANCON, Peru -- A combined US and Peruvian Marine community relations team visited the Almirante Miguel Grau Elementary School here Tuesday to participate in an all-day community relations project.
The community relations project is part of a military exercise called Partnership of the Americas 2008, which aims to improve relations with partner nations and increase the operational preparedness of naval forces participating in the exercise, including Marine Corps forces.
Thirty Marines and two Navy Sailors from Special Marine Air Ground Task Force 24, under the leadership of Lt. Cmdr. Michael Moreno, SPMAGTF 24 chaplain, counting with the support of a platoon of Peruvian Marines, painted interior school classrooms, exterior walls and dug a 75-yard trench for a sprinkler system during the day visit to the elementary school.
"The school staff has very limited resources for the upkeep and care of the school," said Moreno, of Norfolk, Neb. ”They have two sessions for students during the day. The first session goes from 7:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. and the second from 1:00 p.m to 6:00 p.m. -- resource constraints keep them from accommodating all students at the same time during the day."
The project team also cleaned and fixed a rock garden for the school while other teams of Marines handed out school supplies to each student.
"We gave each student a tablet, some pens, an eraser and a ruler. We were able to give supplies to 1,200 students," said Moreno. "We also donated soccer balls to the school staff, and we provided supplies for wall and plumbing repair."
To accommodate the two different sessions, school supplies were handed out in the morning and also in the afternoon. Initially, the soccer balls were to be given to students with exemplary academic achievements, but due to the resource constraints, it was decided to donate the soccer balls to the school staff for the enjoyment of all students at the school.
"(It was a) very rewarding experience helping the children of Peru," said Cpl. Daniel Childs, of Saginaw, Mich., with Weapons Platoon, Company C. "My job was to paint the classrooms on the second floor. I also helped with the irrigation system."
The Marines were invited by Capitan de Navio Carlos Tello, Commandant, Peruvian Marine Corps, to participate in the project. The Ancon project marks the second time the Marines from the SPMAGTF 24 have visited the school.
As the Marines mingled with school staff, the school principal and Col. Brent Dunahoe, commanding officer, SPMAGTF 24, reviewed pictures of the Marines prior visit to the school last year.
"What made this special was the teamwork exhibited by the Marines from Peru and the United States," Moreno said. "The Marines really enjoyed it. For most of them, this was the highlight of their deployment. For most, they wanted to go back to continue to work at the school."
The Community Relations event in Ancon is part of a series of similar projects throughout the Americas and marks the last community relations project for the Marines of SPMAGTF 24 as part of POA 2008.