Students from Airman Leadership School help spruce-up Wettengel Football Field

For those who attend airman leadership school, it's an opportunity for senior airmen to strengthen their ability to lead, follow, and manage. With that, learning also the importance of service to the community. The students recently spent their Saturday, sprucing-up Wettengel Football Field as part of community outreach.

Airman Leadership School is the first level of professional military education enlisted airmen experience. It is designed to prepare senior airmen for positions of greater responsibility by strengthening their ability to lead, follow, and manage while also gaining a broader understanding of the military profession and their role within the air and space forces. Recently, students of the school, along with football players with the Hal's Angels, their parents, and coaches took to Wettengel Field to give it some TLC.

Senior Airman Joneen Terlaje told KUAM News, "My team came up with a project to help our community, most specifically our youth. That's when we heard about Hal Shiroma's legacy and the Hal's Angels football team. We want to continue his growing legacy."

Senior Airman Janrick Navarro says planning for the project took about three weeks, noting, "We have a ton of people in our class that knows people everywhere around the island. I just got here a month ago so seeing the community so close-knit, it's amazing to see. Honestly getting people out here to help was the easiest part."

Blu Shiroma, coach for Hal's Angels and also the youngest son of Hal Shiroma, says the help means a lot. As a non-profit organization, the upkeep of the field like power and water, and the overall maintenance is made possible through player registration fees, and the community.

"My dad and mom started this organization in 1983. Almost 40 years, we've been giving back to the community. Through sports," he shared. "Our family continues to manage the organization. We're the only youth organization that has a field under the organization."

The students from ALS reached out to Shiroma, offering their assistance. "He was so open to it," Terlaje said. "They were so happy and excited for us to be here."

As for what needed to be done? Shiroma said, "They're going to help us refurbish the field by re-painting the pillars, hopefully the concession stand, and just the back wall over here. Just to make it nicer for the kids for the new season."

Bright and early, ALS students, volunteers, parents, and players some donning their football jerseys were ready to go. For Senior Airman Jaelyse Moss, it was more than just giving back to the community that supports them. "It's about leaving a legacy behind and that's what the Hal's organization does. They mentor these kids, these kids grow up to be coaches,  and it's become this cycle...it's kind of what inspired us with it," she said.

Senior Airman Anthony Bragg also reached out to the JFK JROTC unit to roll up their sleeves. "What if we get more involvement from the whole community, show that we really care, and we want to do something that everyone sees and remembers. We reached out these outside agencies just to show the community that we do care for this island...you have us here, we live here temporarily but still care about why we're here," he said.

The big takeaway for those involved? "I learned the immense power of community spirit and collective action. And how many people coming together with a shared goal can achieve remarkable things," said Terlaje.

Moss added, "I think we did a phenomenal job. Being able to work together, this teamwork that we learned, not just in the air force, but as a servant in the community, it's important to work hand in hand in order to be successful at something. Just taking that and applying that to our daily lives, is gonna be the biggest lesson for me."

And Bragg added, "People want to help. You just have to reach out to them....it just takes one voice to bring them all together," with Navarro concluding, "I have a daughter of my own, when i come out here and see these kids, giving them that feeling of empowerment...it's a sense of pride that I  can give to this future generation that they can do whatever they put their mind to."

Shiroma is grateful for the everyone that came out to support and continues to support. "None of this would be possible without the support of the public and having the military out here helping us out, is a big deal. We want to thank our parents and our players, and most especially the airman leadership school for choosing the Hal's Angels.

"My dad used to say a simple thing: you take the kids off of the streets, put them on a football field, they get tired, they go home, and they stay out of trouble. That simple concept goes a long way."