Mansfield Police Department Capt. Doug Noblet and Sgt. Patrick Williams read to kindergarten students on “hat day” Wednesday at Springmill STEM Elementary School. The kindergartners sat cross-legged on their colorful carpet, eagerly waiting for Mansfield Police Capt. Doug Noblet to begin reading The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend.
Noblet
reached into his shirt pocket.
“I have to put on my glasses to read,” he explained.
A girl in
the front row responded immediately.
“My grandpa has to put on his glasses when he reads,” she said.
Noblet and
MPD Sgt. Patrick Williams were at Springmill STEM Elementary School Wednesday
afternoon to read to the kindergarten classes of Cindy Rice and Nancy Niedermier.
It was a familiar scene for Williams, who has read to children in Mansfield
City Schools several times this year, but it was a first for his captain.
Noblet, a
member of the 179th Airlift Wing of the Ohio Air National Guard,
recently returned from deployment to Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
“My son, who also is a member of the 179th, reads to children in the Lexington schools,” Noblet said. “When Sgt. Williams asked me to join him today, I was glad to agree. Sgt. Williams has been instrumental in creating positive contact between law enforcement and kids.”
Over the
course of the year Williams has enlisted other co-readers from the police
department, including Sgt. Stacie Garrick and Officers Mark Boggs, Josh Frech
and Nick Stevens.
In Rice’s classroom, Noblet and Williams sat on chairs facing the kindergartners.
“Sgt. Williams is going to hold the book and turn the pages as I read,” Noblet explained.
The children
nodded their approval.
The story centered on Beekle, who lives on a magical island with other imaginary friends who are all waiting for a child to “imagine” them into existence. Each imaginary friend is unique and is paired with a special child in the real world
Beekle waits patiently for his turn to be
chosen by a real child, but after being overlooked time and again, he sets off
on an incredible journey to the city, where he finally meets his perfect match.
When they were finished, Noblet and
Williams talked with the children about the importance of friendships. The kids
offered their own ideas about how to make friends.
As they prepared to leave, Williams said, “Be good listeners and learn all you can in school.”
Noblet asked if anyone had any last thing
to share.
A girl at the end of the second row
raised her hand.
“I was on Santa’s nice list,” she said softly.
Please visit Springmill STEM Elementary's Home Page.