SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. (KGUN) — Being a student to an active-duty service member can add extra challenges, which is why Fort Huachuca Garrison Commander Mike Childs is hoping more local schools join the Purple Star Program through the state.
Having the Purple Star school designation shows military families and students that a school supports them and understands what they've gone through. Childs has made it his mission for the last year to have as many local schools get this designation.
"A lot of times, people don't even know that this designation exists,” he said.
The three schools on Fort Huachuca were the first to get the designation. Childs says he wanted the Fort Huachuca Schools to have the status and lead the way in his team's efforts to get more schools on board.
The program trains schools on the challenges military-connected students have since they move a lot.
"They come from all kinds of various different states. They come from, sometimes, overseas," he said. "Oftentimes in and out of schools for a very short amount of time.”
Schools with the designation go through training, which includes what to look for in students who may be struggling. They also have to host military family events throughout the year in order to be part of the program.
"Having that designation, I think, really shows (that) a school cares like a lot about military children that are in the school," Childs said. "They care about, you know, understanding their needs. They care about the challenges they go through.”
Center of Academic Success in Sierra Vista is the second Cochise County school off the installation to be a Purple Star school. Staff at the school say they also set up a peer mentor program so new students have someone to show them around.
"We are a military town, and we have military families surrounding us all over the place," said family liaison for Center of Academic Success Catherine Auger. "It just makes sense to be supportive of the families and the students that are coming from the military base.”
The school has over 30 students connected to the military— a number they expect to increase.
“Because they're full on the fort. So right away, because we've acquired that status, they immediately say, Center for Academic Success is a purple star school. And immediately the families come to us,” said Principal for the Center of Academic Success Sarah Paulsen. “I see a relief in the families, because the base sometimes gets full, and they're like, oh my gosh, what are we going to do? Or they don't want to take their kids on the base because they live off base, and this is just, it's located near their home. And it just makes them feel good to know that we work so closely with the base.”
Childs says he's going to continue this mission until he leaves.
“That just means a lot that they care that much to go and seek that designation, because by seeking that designation means that they actually are, by extension, they care deeply about those military kids,” he said.
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