DLIELC promotes friendship 'AMIGO' style

  • Published
  • JBSA-Lackland Public Affairs
Nearly 1,000 people participated in activities at the Defense Language Institute English Language Center annual picnic April 13 at Stillman Park.

Events included a dunk tank, line dancing, face painting, water balloon splash, a piñata for children, horseshoes, volleyball, soccer, flag football, and tug-of-war. Musical entertainment was provided by a disc jockey, San Antonio Pipe and Drum, and the all ladies band Mariachi Las Coronelas.

"I was pleased with the large turnout," said Col. James Garrett, DLIELC commandant. "We met our goal of providing safe, fun activities for (those who attended)."

An added attraction for this year's picnic was the John Jay High School Silver Eagles Drill Team, the Air Force Junior ROTC national champions.

"We've held a picnic annually for more than 25 years, and it seems to get better with age," said Miconna Boaldin, DLIELC Field Studies Program Division chief, who coordinated the event. "This year our added feature was a presentation by the John Jay drill team.

"That was something many DLIELC students have never seen or heard of before," Boaldin said. "They were truly impressed with those young men and crowded around them for pictures after their performance."

The picnic was an opportunity for DLIELC to showcase "AMIGOs," a group of goodwill volunteers who help international military students learn about the American culture and traditions, and practice their English.

AMIGO - American Members of International Goodwill to Others - means "friend" in Spanish.

The Department of Defense volunteer program is designed for AMIGOs to create learning opportunities and share cultural experiences with the international military students at JBSA-Lackland.

One program objective is for students to visit an American home and experience typical family events.

"We were able to introduce a few new AMIGOs to our students," Garrett said. "We're always short of AMIGOs and can use more sponsors to show the American way of life and introduce our culture in a personal way."

For more information or to sponsor a DLIELC student through the AMIGO program, call 210-671-2167.