Plympton Academy welcomes overseas visitors

Staff and students at Plympton Academy welcomed some overseas guests
into school recently.
The USS Gravely, currently in Devonport Naval Base and their
Chaplain, Lieutenant Michael Taulbee, brought 12 sailors to visit the
school and work with the students.
The ship is from Norfolk, Virginia and left the USA in December as
part of a NATO deployment.
The USS Gravely is named in honour of Samuel Lee Gravely who was the
first African American in the US Navy to serve aboard a fighting ship
as an officer, the first to command a Naval ship, the first fleet
commander and the first to become a Vice Admiral.
Lieutenant Taulbee said; “We really appreciate Plympton Academy having
us today – everyone really enjoyed getting off the ship and working
with the students. All the students and teachers were very welcoming
and friendly.”
“So far on our deployment we have had port visits to Copenhagen in
Denmark, Bergen in Norway and Rostock in Germany but this is our first
school visit.”
Plympton Academy student Tye Pedro, aged 13, said; “It was a pleasure
to meet the visitors from America. We talked about what life was like
on board their ship and back in the US. It was really interesting and
I am glad they visited us.”
Teacher Martin Edmonds added; “It was very flattering to be asked to
host crew from the USS Gravely, particularly as the ship is named
after such a remarkable man. Meeting new people and talking about our
lives and different experiences is hugely beneficial in developing our
students’ general knowledge and helping to widen their cultural
horizons.”