Students and seniors visit USS Slater

Just in time for Veteran’s Day, a dozen RCS Middle and High school students and their senior citizen friends toured the U.S.S. Slated on Wednesday.

The trip for the participant of RCS’ STAR Helpers Program was funded through a mini-grant from the Community Foundation for the Capital Region’s Standish Family Fund. The mini-grant program provides funds for unique field trips, craft materials and healthy snacks for Star Helpers students and senior volunteers.

The STAR Helpers Program is an after-school program that brings Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk middle- and high-school students to the Van Allen Senior Apartments in Glenmont twice a month to spend time with senior volunteers, team up with them on homework, crafts and community projects and attend field trips together. 

The U.S.S. Slater is the only restored destroyer escort afloat in America.  It was one of 563 Destroyer Escorts built during WWII to protect conveys of men and supplies from German U-boats and submarines and Japanese airplane attacks.

Tom McLaughlin, a retired sailor (Radar Man 3C) and former Albany policeman, led the tour of the ship and told colorful, salty stories about what life was like onboard for more than 200 sailors and officers who coexisted in cramped conditions during WWII.

The STAR program provides an opportunity for students to interact with senior citizens and make new friends while learning about needs in the local community and career opportunities.