DATE: Sunday, April 27, 1997                TAG: 9704250234

SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON   PAGE: 30   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY BARBARA J. WOERNER, CORRESPONDENT 

                                            LENGTH:   78 lines

MILITARY CHILDREN HONORED AT BIRDNECK

Lt. j.g. Jeff Strange, a Navy aviator from Oceana Naval Air Station, draped a survival vest around Mandy Kepner, a Birdneck Elementary School first-grader.

While Mandy stood dwarfed in the adult-sized survival vest, Strange slipped the helmet over her head.

``Now, you're ready to fly,'' he told her.

Across the school field, representatives of the Marine Air Control Squadron 24 supervised as a throng of third-graders swarmed around and through a Jeeplike vehicle known as a Hummer, a truck and a radar unit. When one of the third-graders found the key in the ignition and turned it, Sgt. William Royal, an Adopt-A-School volunteer at Birdneck, looked at the startled group and smiled.

``We always disable our vehicles so they can't start them up,'' he said with a grin. ``We know they are very capable of starting it.''

Overhead, the roar of F-14s from Oceana provided a fitting backdrop for the military activities at the school. While the planes were carrying out their everyday maneuvers, Birdneck Elementary was the scene for a special celebration.

The second annual ``Stars and Bars - A Salute to the Military Child,'' sponsored by September Place/Parent to Parent honored children in military families with a special program featuring speakers, music and other activities.

September Place, a nonprofit community-based organization, currently partners with Birdneck Elementary and sponsors opportunities for adults to upgrade personal and professional skills along with obtaining a G.E.D. through the Parent to Parent program.

``April is the month of the military child and we planned this day for them,'' said Eleanor Williams, president of September Place and coordinator of the Parent to Parent Program.

Students and attending parents gathered in the auditorium to hear speakers, Mayor Meyera Oberndorf, Congressman Owen Pickett and their school principals, thank them for their part in defending America.

``It's good to recognize the relationship between this school and the military community,'' said Pickett. ``I am proud of all you do in our community.''

Kindergartner Troy Gale took in the activities from a comfortable seat in his father's lap. Roger Gale, an aviation electronics technician, said, ``This program is a good idea, but he doesn't quite understand what all this is about.'' Gale said, Troy, and his sister, Megan, a second-grader at Birdneck, have faced the difficulties of seeing several of their friends move away due to their military transfers.

Students at the largely military school sat patiently while the speakers complemented and thanked them. Marge Babcock, counselor at Birdneck Elementary, asked military children to stand and almost all sitting on the floor of the packed gymnasium stood to their feet.

The Four Star Edition of the Atlantic Fleet Band launched into a string of contemporary pop numbers turning the school gym turned into a massive dance floor as students moved to the music. Francine Singh slowed the pace down by singing Whitney Houston's ``I Will Always Love You.''

Sounding very much like Houston, she walked through the audience and over to a shocked fifth-grader Eldon Pumphsey and looked into his eyes while singing.

More musical entertainment was provided by a combined chorus of Voices of Tomorrow, from Birdneck and Love II Five, from Young Park Elementary in Norfolk. Ralph James, Birdneck counselor and former counselor at Young Park started both groups, in what he described as a combination motivational and singing program. He kept his ties to Young Park by carrying on the program on a volunteer after-school basis after he left to go to Birdneck.

``I decided to do something to encourage kids to achieve something positive on the elementary level,'' he said. ``I also found out by doing this that two cities can get together and cooperate.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by BARBARA WOERNER

Lt. j.g. Jeff Strange drapes a survival vest around Mandy Kepner.

Francine Singh of the Atlantic Fleet Band's Four Star Edition sings

to fifth-grader Eldon Pumphsey, left, during ``Salute to the

Military Child.''

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