What better way to cap another tremendous school year at Dahlgren School aboard Naval Support Facility (NSF) Dahlgren than with an outdoor extravaganza at Joy Park? Students and teachers alike took advantage of the beautiful weather June 8 to enjoy a fun-filled day outdoors.
The day kicked off with a Fun Run around the housing area followed by an afternoon of amusement at Joy Park behind the school.
The students were treated to bike safety training, along with bike adjustments to ensure that everyone’s bike and helmet were as safe as possible, courtesy of Naval Support Activity South Potomac (NSASP) Police Officers Cpl. Amanda Foor and Cpl. Bryan Mason. The officers provided instruction on bike safety including hand signals, braking and base regulations for bicyclists. Mason made the adjustments to brakes and tires so that the young cyclists’ equipment is in safe working order.
“[NSF Dahlgren] is a unique environment where the children live so near their school, so a number of them ride their bikes to school,” Mason said. “It’s important that they understand how to ride in this environment safely, and these skills carry over into their future locations as well, as when they begin to operate motor vehicles.”
First responders from Naval District Washington (NDW) Fire and Emergency Service Dahlgren Company were also on hand with tours of their pumper truck and to provide a little cooling relief with spray from the hose providing a splash zone for the youngsters. Students and teachers alike enjoyed the refreshing mists.
“The best part of these events is seeing the smiles and watching them enjoy themselves,” said NDW Fire Inspector Brent O’Neal.
The children enjoyed oversized game boards of Chess, Checkers, Connect Four and Jenga, and spent time just enjoying the playground.
Later, the AEGIS Training and Readiness Center (ATRC) Petty Officer Association provided a delicious grilled lunch of hot dogs, hamburgers and chips for the youngsters.
“It was wonderful!” teacher Beth Hankins enthused. “We really appreciate the Chiefs coming out and feeding us. There were a lot more mouths to feed than they anticipated, so they went to the store twice to get provisions. They were awesome!”
“This was a great way to wrap up the end of the year,” Dahlgren School Administrator Tracey Fairfax shared, “and a nice way to bring our community together; family members, siblings, along with our community partners — the police department, the fire department and the ATRC Chiefs, who prepared lunch for the children. It’s just been a wonderful day of partnership within our community.”