AVIANO AIR Foundation, Italy —
U.S. Air Force Airmen from Aviano Air Foundation and other users of the Wyvern local community volunteered to instruct English to Italian kids in communities all-around the foundation via the Vicini Americani English Educating Plan.


The volunteers taught English to Italian youngsters in area center and significant educational facilities, as very well as two summer time camps.


The summer season camps took put July 4-29 in Polcenigo, Italy, and August 29 by September 9 in Aviano, Italy. Children ranged from 6-14 yrs old attended the summer time camp classes.


All through the summertime camps, additional than 45 volunteers interacted with the kids by distinctive pursuits and workshops that targeted on culture, traditions, and existence. These routines assisted improve the children’s English and communicative competencies in a way that was built to be natural and expectation-cost-free.


The children produced crafts, performed athletics, participated in nature walks and more whilst they had been learning. By way of casual discussions, kids were being taught English pronunciation, listening, spelling and speaking techniques.


“The summer time camp experienced fewer of a classroom atmosphere and the kids ended up far more receptive to understanding English in different ways than in a college environment,” said Retired U.S. Military Learn Sgt. Leandro Rocha, English Instructing System volunteer. “Currently we are seeking to re-make a songs online video where by the youngsters have to not only translate the lyrics but the indicating guiding the song.”


Through the 2021-2022 university 12 months, more than 49 volunteers taught 226 hrs of English and some Spanish to 700 higher faculty and middle university students about the system of 61 lessons in a neighborhood city. The program is scheduled to keep on into the 2022-2023 college 12 months with plans to also access elementary colleges.


The volunteers shared information and facts about by themselves, their behavior, travels, operate activities, expectations and extra through their visits to just about every university.


“I truly feel particularly grateful to the team of volunteers who arrived to our educational facilities,” reported Nicoletta Caine, a neighborhood High University for Tourism and Overall economy Spanish and English trainer. “The volunteers could pick out a simple subject matter and discuss about that or have a discussion with distinct groups of pupils in the very same class or even enjoy online games with them. It has been a definitely fascinating and stimulating experience.”


The college students have been pleased to meet up with the volunteers and appreciated the functions, according to Caine.


“They [the students] have been quite keen to be in a position to talk to native speakers and exchange their views with them and study about their practices, tastes, interests and position roles,” mentioned Caine. “They undoubtedly enhanced their capability to use the languages [English and Spanish], obtaining a lot more courage and self-confidence.”


Rocha also volunteered 3 times in superior faculty lecture rooms in spring 2022. Rocha spelled out that the students have been intrigued in why Americans use conjunctions words and phrases as perfectly the use of distinct dialects spoken across regions of the states.


“My experience was wonderful,” explained Rocha. “They check out shows and marvel why New Yorkers talk otherwise than those shows with people from Texas. They recognize that Italians have a distinctive dialect primarily based on where by somebody arrives from but the students are just surprised additional by the U.S. way of talking English. You can explain to they want to learn additional compared to finding out simple Oxford English taught in their educational institutions.”


On Sept. 13, 2022, Daniele Basso, the vice mayor of Aviano, Mario Della Toffola, Polcenigo mayor, and U.S. Air Drive Col. Timothy Maxwell, 31st Mission Aid Team commander, acknowledged additional than 30 users that volunteered or assisted coordinate for the neighborhood faculty visits and the summertime camps.


During the ceremony, Della Tofolla reiterated the powerful friendships involving the communities and emphasized just one of Aviano AB’s mission statements: we are stronger collectively.


“I see diverse ranks in this home but we are all the exact same rank when it will come to volunteering,” stated Maxwell.


The Vicini Americani English Training Application helps foster sturdy interactions in the community community and allows Aviano AB to give back again to our host nation.


“I think the method is crucial to both the young college students of the community Italian neighborhood and the U.S. support member equally,” mentioned Rocha. “It breaks down an invisible wall and it lets the assistance member to recognize that they have a duty like that of an ambassador to educate younger Italian children.”


Any member section of the Wyvern local community can volunteer. Applicants need to be at minimum 16 decades old and can volunteer as substantially or as minimal as they want. You should email [email protected] for data on how to volunteer.