LOS ANGELES – For the past three years, Barton Hill Elementary School in San Pedro, California has been the adopted school of Coast Guard units based in San Pedro through the Partnership in Education (PIE) program, a program that has provided educational assistance through tutoring, mentoring and other outreach activities that has exposed students to positive role models in their community.
Last December, local units assisted with the annual Barton Hill Holiday pageant, in which the students perform, by assisting in the decoration and set production. This week, the Coast Guard joined the students of Barton Hill and painted a Coast Guard themed mural on one of the school’s walls. The mural was prepped yesterday and was completed today.
“The PIE program focuses on quality achievement, excellence in education, improved educational opportunities and improved Coast Guard visibility. As part of the program, Coast Guard volunteers donate free time to serve as tutors, mentors and role models,” said Lt. Pedro Vazquez, PIE Program Coordinator for the Coast Guard in San Pedro.
Further south, the crew of the Corona del Mar, California based, Coast Guard Cutter Narwhal was presented with an award during a ceremony held today for their participation in the PIE program. Narwhal competed for the PIE award with other Coast Guard units across the country.
Cutter Narwhal was presented the Commandant’s PIE award by Ms. Gwendolyn White, a representative from the Coast Guard Civil Rights Office headquartered in Washington, D.C. The crew was commended for their ability to contribute 230 volunteer hours to the community this year while being underway and patrolling off shore for over 1800 hours.
“The Partnership in Education program portrays the strong ongoing volunteerism of Coast Guard personnel,” said Lt. Kristopher Ensley, Commanding Officer of the Cutter Narwhal.
The Partnership in Education program was established by Presidential Proclamation. It has been an official Coast Guard program since 2001.
