TR Sailors Volunteer for Career Day at Elementary School

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Sandra A. Pimentel, USS Theodore Roosevelt Public Affairs

NORFOLK (NNS) -- Sailors aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) attended a career day at Coleman Place Elementary School in Norfolk June 7, to teach roughly 50 students how to cook aboard an aircraft carrier.

Culinary Specialist 2nd Class (SW/AW) Dwayne Jones, Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Rogelyn Cambe and Culinary Specialist 2nd Class (SW/AW) Kenyatta Pore, volunteered for the hands-on demonstration by teaching children step-by-step processes of preparing and cooking a large meal on a small budget.

"We wanted to do more than just a normal presentation," said Cambe. "We knew that it had to be interesting enough to really get the kids involved."

The idea for this project stemmed from a youth summit in April, during in which Lt. Cmdr. Karen Eifert, TR's public affairs officer and Cheryl Bunting, interim parent liaison for Coleman Place Elementary School met and began brainstorming.

"Initially, we knew that we wanted to involve the TR," said Bunting. "It was Mrs. Eifert that suggested having the culinary specialists (CS) come in for the demonstration."

During the demonstration, children were able to come up and assist the CS's with the preparation of chicken fajitas, which included slicing vegetables and chicken breast. The children were also able to cook the fajita mix in two large skillets.

The lesson included topics such as deciding what utensils were needed, how to figure out the space needed for preparation, and how to avoid cross contamination between uncooked meats and other cooking items.

Once the entree was prepared, children were allowed to sample the food.

"The food was so good," said Alysia Nelson, a fourth-grader at Coleman Place Elementary School. "We want TR to come back and cook for us all the time."

During its Refueling Complex Overhaul (RCOH) in Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries, the TR has been involved in various community programs.

As active members in the community, TR Sailors take every opportunity to teach how small day-to-day activities can be applied on a large scale.

TR Sailors are committed to being a global force for good by partnering with several schools in the Hampton Roads area and ensuring they are making a difference in the lives of the community's youth.

"Learning outside of the classroom is always good," said Jackie Chapelle, a school counselor for Coleman Place Elementary School. "It gives the children a different perspective on how things work."