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Separated from family, students chalk up their emotions
Story and photo by
Airman 1st Class
LANE PLUMMER
86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
Azmeralda Poole pushes the chalk down
on the ground and draws two dots inside
a circle, cracking a grin as she sketches a
smiling face. She points to her creation as
she looks up at Nicole Flores, her Vogelweh
Elementary School counselor.
“This is me,” the student says. “I’m happy
right now!”
The young girl was participating in a
therapy session for children who were
ordered to leave Turkey by the Defense
Department on March 29 due to security
concerns there. Flores had them draw out
their thoughts and feelings, and for Azmer-
alda, there were many.
“I had to leave dad alone for a while,” she
said. “In the middle of the night, mom and I
came over to Germany, and I knew nobody
here. Some of my friends came with me to
Germany, but a lot of them left to America.”
As she said, some families were moved
to Ramstein Air Base but some went back
stateside. According to Flores, it’s been an
eventful rst few weeks, as she and other
school staff members help the dozens of
families settle in.
“We got a call out of the blue ... we ended
up with 65 kids from Turkey,” Flores said.
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“It happened so fast, but we’ve kept our Children from were also given sponsors in the form of
minds and arms open to these kids the Vogelweh their peers.
entire way.” Elementary
School draw “These kids are so spectacular,” Flores
Despite the in ux of over 60 students, out their said. “To see them getting along so well with
the teachers have had no problem with emotions students that have lived here, it’s amazing.”
taking more of them. If anything, according during a ther-
to Flores, the response has been incredible. apy session Flores rounds up the students for their
April 21 at next classes. She takes a glance at the draw-
“A lot of teachers wanted as many stu- Vogelweh Air ings across the playground. Smiley faces
dents as possible,” Flores explained. “Also, Base, Germa- and frowning faces crowd the small play-
we have a program where these students ny. Dozens ground turf. One scribbled face expresses
of families a look of uncertainty with the word “Meh”
recently sep- chalked above its head.
arated from
service mem- She looks down at the students’ faces.
bers in Tur- One girl has a doll with a photo of her
key and now dad’s face on the head, clenched tightly in
live in the her hands.
Kaiserslaut-
ern military “Did we get our emotions out today?”
community. Flores asks her students, who answer with
nodding heads.
have sponsors in the school that show them
around and get them adjusted to the new “I know you all miss your moms or dads,
environment. They become their new best but I want you all to leave your emotions
friends, and they start feeling like they’ve here on this playground, kids,” she says. “I
been here all year.” want all the sadness, confusion and unhap-
piness to stay here, chalked in the ground.”
It’s not been an easy time for these kids
and their parents, according to Flores. How- The only emotion she wants them to carry
ever, they’ve never been alone. The parents to their next home is their happiness and
were provided sponsors to help settle them positivity. Flores will only spend two more
into the community, while their children months with the students, as they and their
parents will return stateside once the kids
nish the school year.
“I’m going to miss these kids when they
leave,” Flores said. “They’re part of our
family now.”