Heading Home

I'll be leaving Virginia Beach tomorrow and heading home to Pennsylvania. I've had lots of fun here in Virginia Beach. I've met some great teachers and smart students here at College Park Elementary School. They are in the process of writing about Veterans Day and tell me that their work will be posted here on my site in a few weeks. I visited the Piedmont region of Virginia, went to the White House and DC Cupcakes in Georgetown. The Tidewater Veterans Memorial was a cool place to visit as was the Salute to the Military Statues at the oceanfront in Virginia Beach. I even spent some time with Chief Petty Officer Weatherspoon of the United States Navy. It's been fun in Virginia Beach and I hope to visit again next year.

Patriotic Pete Receives the Navy's Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist Pin Today

Today Patriot Pete was presented the Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialists pin. This pin is awarded to a sailor to "reflect a level of qualification above and beyond the normal level of professional and performance criteria necessary for advancement." This means that the person who has received the pin is highly qualified for his or her position and has outstanding on the job performance. Please go to Pete's Flikr page to see a picture of him sporting his newest pin!

Source: Wikipedia

About Petty Officer Weatherspoon

As you have read, Petty Officer Weatherspoon is working with Patriotic Pete to help our fifth grade students learn about patriotism. Below is some information that he shared with us that I am sure you will find interesting.

CTT1 Weatherspoon is an instructor (teacher) for his job as a Signals/Radar Analysis. He looks out for enemy radars and takes care of the ship and the people on it long enough to help Marines land on the beach and complete their mission. While doing his job in the United States Navy, Weatherspoon has visited Nova Scotia, Honduras, Columbia, Dominican Republic and Spain. He has also worked in Boston, Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale and Galveston in the United States.

"The best part of doing this job has been the people I've been able to help in those various countries. I've done everything from installing air conditioning in hospitals to building a playground for a school. Hopefully, all of those people's lives were bettered by the time and efforts I gave and it makes me happy to know that it's because of me and the Navy that it happened."

What Patriotism Means to Me

Yesterday afternoon we asked Petty Officer Weatherspoon what patriotism means to him. Weatherspoon stated, " The personal sacrifice for the greater good of the majority or the individual sacrifice for the benefit of all. Patriotism is allegiance to the spirit of the Navy and everyone that has come before me and made the ultimate sacrifice." We asked Petty Officer Weatherspoon how students can show their patriotism. He said we can show patriotism by attending patriotic parades like Memorial Day or Veteran's Day parades, singing the national anthem at 4th of July celebrations, pledging the flag and understanding what the flag stands for. We look forward to learning more about patriotism from Petty Officer Weatherspoon in the coming week.

Patriot Pete Arives In Virginia Beach, VA

Patriot Pete arrived at College Park Elementary School at 12:32 this afternoon. WOW, we are so excited to have him here with us to learn about patriotism! At the end of our school day Pete met one of our parents, First Class Petty Officer Randy Weatherspoon of the United States Navy. Here is a picture of Pete with Petty Officer Weatherspoon.