Andrea Mayes, a Calais School paraprofessional, shared her experience in the army and the army reserves with several classes of students as part of the school’s observance of Veteran’s Day.

Ms. Mayes, a resident of Paterson, spoke to students about her 15 years in the army and three in the reserves. “I started off as a cook and went to culinary school to become a general’s aide,” she told the students. “From there I became an instructor at the leadership academy for two years.”

At the academy, she taught military code and customs, she told the students. “That is short of how I got into teaching,” she said, adding she explained to new army recruits about the army’s history, the dos and don’ts of military life, how to properly wear a uniform, how to salute and a lot of history of the army.

She was stationed at several military bases including bases in North Carolina and Virginia and Yousung, Korea. In 2007, Ms. Mayes left to work at the Veteran’s Hospital in Paterson where she did crisis management and behavioral counseling for veterans. “I helped them with issues of flashbacks and taking them off the ledge,” she explained.

In her presentation to the students, Ms. Mayes told students that “I did not feel I was smart enough to go to college and thought the army would be a good opportunity for me.”

She told students about basic training which includes following directions and getting along with people in a group, exhibiting integrity and leadership. Students also asked about weapons, marching and the importance of having pride in yourself as a soldier.

In September, Ms. Mayes started her position at The Calais School, which she said she enjoys very much. “I love it-it has given me the opportunity to grow educationally.”

Ms. Mayes said that she has a 23-year-old autistic son who graduated from Rutgers University and works at Habitat for Humanity, which is why she wanted to work at Calais. “I always like to give a helping hand because I know what it is like,” she said.

It meant so much to Ms. Mayes to be included in the school’s Veteran’s Day celebration, she said. “It felt so good because the kids were interested and they asked great questions,” she said. “They made me a bunch of pictures and they respected me for being in the military and serving our country.”

Speaking about her experience to Calais students made Ms. Mayes feel appreciated, she said. All the interest they showed including their questions and drawings made her feel that all her hard work was worth it “to make the world a better place for these kids so that they can feel safe in their country.”
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