Military-Connected Youth December Bulletin
Dear Military Family Liaisons,
December is host to a multitude of holidays and celebrations, including the birthdate of the National Guard. The National Guard traces its roots back to the colonial militias that formed on Dec. 13, 1636. Today, Ohio is home to over 15,000 National Guard members who continue this legacy of service.
This month is also one of the merriest times of the year, with many families taking time to come together and celebrate the holidays. It is important that we continue acknowledging and supporting students with loved ones who are currently deployed, as they will likely miss spending this time with them. I wish you all a happy holiday season and thank you for your continued support of military-connected youth and families.
Purple Star Program Highlight: Dublin Scioto High School, Dublin City Schools
John Witt is a social studies teacher, football coach, and Purple Star Club Advisor at Dublin Scioto High School. John feels that “our nation's veterans embody the greatest qualities we could find in someone.” He finds it an “honor to be able to advise our Purple Star Club at Scioto which consistently works to "recognize, remember, honor, and support military families."
One way Dublin Scioto recognizes veterans year-round is through mailing lists. The Purple Star Club gathers the names, addresses, and birthdays of local veterans, and the school uses this information to share military-related events through the mailing list. The students meet every other month to make birthday cards for veterans and regularly visit other schools in the district to share their work and encourage participation in the Purple Star program. Students in the Purple Star Club also interviewed veterans from each branch of service and created an exhibit that showcased their experiences, including basic training, military service, deployments, and life after the military. The club shared the Veteran Story Event with students at Scioto and Davis Middle School, and also invited participating veterans to see how their stories were shared. You can contact John at witt_john@dublinschools.net.
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Purple Star Application Window Closes Soon
Applications for the Purple Star Class of 2026 (both new and renewal schools) will close on December 15, 2025. All schools awarded in 2023 are required to apply for renewal this year. Schools can apply via the application on the Department website. Awardees will be announced in April 2026. The Department will hold office hours for applicants to ask questions on Dec. 10 at 3:30 p.m.
Mental Health Resources for Military-Connected Students
The Kids Mental Health Foundation, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and Dayton Children’s Hospital recently released a report about supporting the mental health of military-connected students. Major findings included:
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Many materials regarding military-connected families focus on mental health problems, not building mental wellness in children.
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Few materials are specific to the mental health of military-connected children; most of the focus is on service members only.
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Limited resources exist for teachers and medical providers, and few provide information on how they can be a protective factor for military-connected children.
Sesame Street Videos
Sesame Street now has updated videos for military families available on their website. The videos address issues common to military families and are geared for younger children. Topics include military life, wellness, and help and healing. These videos can be used in the early learning setting or as a tool for military families with young children to discuss experiences linked to military life.
Family Resources
Wright-Patterson AFB School Liaison Office
The School Liaison Office is the central point of contact for commanders, military families, and local school systems on school-related matters for grades K-12. School Liaison services are open to all military families in Ohio.
United Service Organization
Blue Star Families of Dayton and Southwestern Ohio
Blue Star Families has a chapter that serves Dayton and Southwest Ohio. The Ohio chapter hosts events and is committed to strengthening military and veteran families.
Ohio Military Kids
Ohio Military Kids provides positive development experiences for youth whose parents are deployed in military service, as well as opportunities for military-connected youth to connect, learn, and have fun. Contact omk@osu.edu with any questions.
Ohio Military Veteran Educators Program
Additional Resources for Liaisons
Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children
Ohio Council of the Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission (MIC3)
The Ohio MIC3 Council assists with the implementation of the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children in Ohio. The council also hosts the Janet Wynn Memorial Award. The award honors an Ohio military family or school-aged youth that has displayed exceptional perseverance, grit, and determination throughout a move or transition between school districts.
Ohio Department of Veterans Services
The Department of Veterans Services provides a printable poster that highlights services for Ohio’s veterans.
Important Dates
Dec. 15: Purple Star application window closes
Jason Scragg
Military Education Coordinator
Office of Whole Child Supports
25 South Front St., 3rd Floor
Toll-free: 877.644.6338 D: 614.466.4109
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