KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- About 50 elementary students are getting a better start to the school year thanks to a directorate within the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center.
Over about two weeks, the 140 people working in the Nuclear Technologies and Interagency Directorate at Kirtland Air Force Base donated hundreds of dollars worth of school supplies for Kirtland, Wherry and Mission Avenue elementaries in Albuquerque.
All three are Title I schools, meaning they have high rates of poverty among students.
“We viewed it as an investment in the center, mainly because a lot of the employees are from the Albuquerque area,” said Staff Sgt. Joshua McMillan, who organized the collection.
Maybe if directorate representatives help and talk to the students, he said, those children will be more interested in school or even inspired to pursue science and someday work at the Nuclear Weapons Center.
The effort started when Directorate Process Integrator Patricia Pettit found backpacks on sale and brought two dozen into the office to see if her co-workers would help her fill them with school supplies. She said she likes to help children in a way that supports their education.
Directorate Director Michael Martinez supported the idea, and McMillan was put in charge.
McMillan named the effort “Operation Full Backpack” and notified the staff via email. He also talked with Martinez’s wife, Deborah, the counselor at Mission Avenue. She directed him to her principal and to Kirtland and Wherry.
“We wanted to give it where we know the kids need it,” McMillan said.
By late last week, directorate staff had filled 49 backpacks based on what each grade and school required, and had supplies left over.
McMillan and Pettit delivered supplies to schools Friday and Monday.
Mission Avenue Principal Frances Garcia said many students come and go from the school throughout the year, some struggling with homelessness or as refugees from other countries. A minority of students live consistently in the neighborhood.
“We so appreciate the donations made to the school because, unfortunately, our budgets cannot support everything needed for the school year,” she said.
Deborah Martinez expressed “heartfelt appreciation,” and said children with the most need would receive the supplies.
She said many of the backpacks would go to students who arrived after the school year began. In such cases, Garcia said, the faculty and administration like to provide new school supplies for a fresh start.
She said students in struggling families just need support to succeed.
“Poverty has nothing to do with IQ,” she said.