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Pinewood Prep school flies Kyrgyz flag to honor Birdek School

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Carolyn Viss
  • 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
TRANSIT CENTER AT MANAS, Kyrgyzstan --  A U.S. preparatory school in South Carolina which "adopted" the Birdek School in Kyrgyzstan recently flew the Kyrgyz flag as part of their educational and cultural awareness curriculum.

It also served as a visual reminder of their "sister school," and brought the 830 kindergarten through 12th grade students there closer to their Kyrgyz counterparts, with whom they've been exchanging letters, crafts, and photos for several months.

"We wanted to advertise our 'sister school' in Kyrgyzstan," said Chuck Stjern, a Pinewood Preparatory School geography teacher. "We have 48 national flags flying in the auditorium of our small school just outside Charleston, S.C. Each flag represents a country from which we have hosted an exchange student."

A high percentage of their high school students are from abroad, he said, and their relationship with the Birdek School provided the perfect teaching opportunity for him and his students.

"We have been sending school supplies and warm clothing donated by Pinewood students and exchanging pictures, drawings, etc. with the school," Mr. Stjern said.

He said the students have been very excited to interact with students around the world.

"We sent them the crayons, and they sent us the crayon wax-on colored drawings," said one student. "We sent them back photos of the drawings on a bulletin board in our hallway!"

"You know, Mr. Stjern, it's amazing that kids in another country can be so both different from us and yet so much the same," said another one of the sixth grade students who helped with the bulletin board.

"We [flew the flag] because every country, no matter what size, deserves respect, and doing it can be a matter of national pride," and because Pinewood Prep has been helping Birdek School, said Sean Carter, a 12-year-old in 8th grade. "It can be hard to put things into perspective in your own country without other examples to look at."

The class stateside has had a vested interest in Kyrgyzstan since the Transit Center director, Col. Blaine Holt, spoke with the AP Human Geography class last year about international relations and peacemaking.

"Just this week, it's apparent that Kyrgyzstan is prominently in the news, with the change of government," Mr. Stjern said. "We'd like to be kept updated."

As a Boy Scout, Sean is interested in both the military members at the Transit Center and the students of Kyrgyzstan, whom his school has been supporting.

"Our hope was that if people see the Kyrgyz flag, they might wonder about the country, and learn more," he said. "Then they could get more into the project."