USS Cowpens Sailors Reach Out To Community Offer YMS Students Food, Games, Mentorship
By MC2 Byron C. Linder, Navy Public Affairs Support Element Detachment Japan

Sailors stationed aboard the Ticonderoga class with sixth graders from Yokosuka Middle School (YMS) June 4.

The Sailors and students played numerous games and enjoyed a barbecue during an afternoon at the Commander Fleet Activites Yokosuka seawall picnic gazebos.

The activities, explained Religious Programs Specialist 3rd Class Keeshaun Coffey, are part of an existing relationship between the middle school and various commands that “sponsor” entire grades of students.

“This gives our Sailors a chance to interact with the youth of Yokosuka and show them how Sailors work on the ship. We’re giving back to the youth here,” Coffey said. “Team Cowpens sponsors one-half of the sixth grade class, which involves a lot of mentorship. We come to the school once a week to eat lunch and they’ll ask us a lot of questions. Most of the time, their families are active duty and this gives them a different perspective.”

Interior Communications Electrician 2nd Class Dixon Rivera, a Greenwood, S.C., native who got into the spirit of the event by donning a cow costume, explained how the day of games and food offers another perspective on the day-to-day lives of a U.S. Navy Sailor.

“Mentorship is more than just sitting down talking to the kids at school about what we do professionally. We’re here to have a good time,” said Rivera. “This gives us another outlet to just kick back and relax and it helps show we’re more than just uniforms; sharing that part of our life is just as important.”

Tara Foust, a YMS sixth-grader who participated in the festivities was appreciative of the fun day and a year-long commitment fulfilled by her Sailor-mentors.

“It’s great to get out of school and have some fun,” Foust said. “These guys have been coming out here since the beginning of the school year and it’s just a lot of fun.”