RAF Lakenheath Youth Unleash the Power of Green

  • Published
  • By Courtney Parker
  • 48th Force Support Squadron
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  On March 27, 40 RAF Lakenheath youths competed against more than 300 English students at the Destination Imagination England Nationals in Walsall, United Kingdom.

Months of hard work paid off when Lakenheath's youths, called Team Green, returned home with medals and an impressive first-place finish in the Community Outreach Project division with their program, Unleash the Power of Green.

Team Green members include:
- Kiara Richmond, 10
- Julia Tran, 11
- Audrey Krysinski, 9
- Sydney McCollough, 10
- Abigail Middleton, 11
- Paolo Basaca, 9
- Robert Cabrera, 10

Supervisors of the youth project are Carrie Basaca, Youth Programs Assistant Director, and Kaira Hunn, Youth Programs Floor Supervisor.

"When the kids were announced as the winners, they all jumped up with the biggest smiles on their faces," said Ms. Hunn, "It brought tears to my eyes to see their hard work recognized. This was an amazing journey we won't forget."

Team Green's vision was to make the world greener by planting seeds, plants and flowers to be donated to elderly people in a nearby hospice. The team promoted their program through flyers and solicited family members, friends and Youth Center patrons for donations of pots, seeds and plants. After documenting the team's progress in a scrapbook, a package was presented at Destination Imagination. Upon delivery of the grown plants and flowers to the hospice, the children added a special surprise by reciting poetry to the elderly recipients.

"It took a great deal of time and effort from the kids, their family members, Ms. Basaca and Ms. Hunn to complete this project," said Dan Hawley, 48th Force Support Squadron chief of Airman and Family Services Flight. "Competing at the Destination Imagination England Nationals was a wonderful opportunity for the kids to interact with the English community."

All winners of the England National Tournament are eligible to compete against international teams at the Global Finals in Knoxville, Tenn., from May 26 to 29.