In 1986, April was designated a Month of the Military Child, encouraging cities, military establishments, and school districts around the world to recognize our young American heroes.
As an educator, I've worked with military kids for the last decade. Prior to that, and always, I have identified as an "Air Force brat" and, more recently, a soldier's wife; the military is a huge part of my identity. I have lived the peripatetic existence, experienced the grief of deployment and joyous reunions, and have been stricken by fear of the unknown because of current events as a child and wife of a service member.
April is the month of the military child, but what are schools doing throughout the year to support their military kids? I can say with certainty that military kids need the support of their schools all year long.
• Build relationships. Military kids change schools up to nine times. Take time to form relationships with your military kids, and foster relationships with their peers, because it's hard being the new kid again and again, and eventually they don't have the energy to be the new kid again.
• Look for learning gaps. Before Arkansas, I lived in Germany for three years, and found myself lost in the new curriculum and instruction that had been scaffolded. I wouldn't ask for help because I didn't want to create a new opportunity to draw attention to myself. Don't wait for them to ask for help; be familiar with essential learning standards up to your grade level, and assess their understanding.
I am proud to be employed by Cabot Public Schools, the first Purple Star School District in the state of Arkansas. Cabot School District is dedicated to supporting more than 1,000 military children currently enrolled in the district. I have witnessed this commitment firsthand, and appreciate the urgency of the district to support students of military service members both emotionally and academically. Cabot School District's counselors have been specifically trained to assist military students with relocation, enrollment, eligibility, graduation requirements, coping with deployment and more. Take note.
Here are a few ideas from Militarychild.org to get you started doing something now:
• Kick off the Month of the Military Child with a breakfast or lunch honoring your school's military kids. Don't forget to invite your staff that were once military kids.
• Use your school marquee to highlight April as the Month of the Military Child.
• Throughout April, ask a military child to participate in announcements and share an interesting fact about their life as a military child.
• Use bulletin boards to highlight military kids in your school. Consider a world map that pinpoints where students and staff have lived due to their military lifestyle.
• Host an assembly for Month of the Military Child honoring your school's military children. Allow students to write a poem or essay to share what it means to be a military child.
• Schools can promote Month of the Military Child on their websites, providing links to sites that offer resources to military families.
• Host a military luncheon for service members to have lunch at school with their family.
• Simply "purple up." Dedicate Fridays in April to wearing purple in honor of your military kids.
Don't get me wrong, I am proud. I treasure my experiences, and they have contributed to the person I am today; they have made me a better person and teacher, more empathetic and thoughtful. And I am proud. I am so proud of my father, retired Tech. Sgt. Melvin Keith Henson Jr., my husband Maj. Adrian Carranco Jr., and all of those who answer our nation's call.
But school districts prioritize this population of students because it's hard and they deserve it, and their families deserve that peace of mind. Purple up this month, and thank military children for their strength and sacrifices.
Crystal Carranco is an instructional innovation cacilitator at Stagecoach Elementary in Cabot, and previously taught first grade for 10 years for Beebe Public School District. Crystal is a 2022 ASTA and AAEF advocacy fellow. She is also a proud "Air Force brat," and wife of 20 years to Maj. Adrian Carranco Jr., who was also a military child.