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Award-winning author, illustrator and performer Trevor Romain has made several visits to Ramstein Intermediate School in the past, but this year’s Sept. 24 visit was all about partnerships.
All the RIS students had the opportunity to see Mr. Romain as he conducted two assemblies early in the morning. Mr. Romain shared stories and talked to the children about problems and situations they may face in everyday life, like when someone tries to bully them.
It was later in the afternoon, when Mr. Romain met with the Kids 4 Kids groups from RIS and Ramstein Middle School, that the real sharing began. Over the last year Mr. Romain has been working with the 86th Services Squadron Family Member Support Flight in developing a deployment kit using a character he created known as Cuzzie the Flying Bear. The kits will include items like calendars, journals, dog tags and photos.
In addition to this kit, Mr. Romain is making a new book and DVD on deployment. He met with the Kids 4 Kids groups not only to talk to them about how to deal with the situation of having a family member deployed, but also to get feedback from the students that could be used in his future book and DVD.
Mr. Romain asked the students what they have done when their moms or dads have deployed and how to they stayed in touch with their parents.
There were several of suggestions from students on how to stay in touch. While this discussion was going on, Mr. Romain also talked to the students about being “heroes” and how to cope with their loved ones being gone.
His messages of caring about each other and developing a support network were very clear. He suggested strategies for the students to use like writing in a journal, which is what he did as child when times were tough.
The connection between Mr. Romain and the students was impossible to miss. At the end of the day when the bell rang, not a student moved to leave.
“I really like the story he told about the monkey, because it showed us that he cared about the monkey just like he cares about us,” RIMS fifth grader Sophie Ogden said.
With 86th SVS/SVY sponsoring Mr. Romain, it was a great opportunity for all the parties of RIS, RMS and the Kids 4 Kids group to work together. On this day everyone was a winner.
