“The BEST day of my LIFE”: The USS Midway, incredible United Through Reading volunteers and 8 children from the Monarch School
February 12, 2018
Last November, the USS Midway donated a VIP USS Midway experience to the United Through Reading Storybook Ball auction. This package included a guided tour, lunch at the Fantail Café and time in the flight simulator.
Wendy and Steve Liberko, committed United Through Reading volunteers and supporters since 2016, purchased the USS Midway package at the Storybook Ball and decided to donate it to children at the Monarch School. This was a ‘perfect storm’ of sorts—their support of United Through Reading at the Storybook Ball and their enthusiasm for the USS Midway programs combined to create an inspiring experience for the Monarch School children!
The Monarch School has served San Diego for nearly three decades, beginning as a one-room education center and expanding into a K-12 comprehensive school designed to educate students impacted by homelessness.
On January 29th Dan Beintema, President of the USS Midway Foundation, Wendy and Steve Liberko and I had the pleasure of meeting the Monarch School children and chaperones in front of the USS Midway. Introductions were made, Dan shared interesting facts about the USS Midway and asked the children a few questions.
- How many of your parents have been or are in the military?
- Have you ever been on the USS Midway?
- Did you know that the USS Midway is like a floating city? It had a crew of 4,500 when it was in service!
With tickets in hand and their curiosity piqued, the children and their chaperones got underway! Priscilla Camacho, one of their chaperones, said, “the kiddos were so excited to find “Dutch” the aircraft that Dan (Beintema) flew. When we found it, everyone wanted to take a picture with it.”
Ms. Camacho said the best part of the whole trip was overhearing one of the students say, “This is the BEST day of my LIFE!”. She said that hearing this and seeing the ‘kiddos’ excitement makes what she does every day that much more rewarding.
United Through Reading is focused on connecting military families through the read aloud experience during separations and deployments. The connections we make are the essence of everything we do.
As we say in the military—BRAVO ZULU– to the USS Midway, the Liberkos and the Monarch School!