Maryland Gov. Wes Moore gives 8 schools awards for supporting students from military families
Gov. Wes Moore joined members of the Maryland State Board of Education on Tuesday to present awards to eight public schools that excel at supporting students from military families.
Children from military families have specific needs related to how often they move to different states and school systems. The state started the “Purple Star School” program in 2022 to recognize schools that connect these students to their communities and handle other challenges caused by differences in credits, classes and volunteer hours.
Moore, a Democrat, told a packed boardroom how he had signed up for the Army as a 17-year-old student and became a lieutenant in the Army Reserve. His experience in the military created a personal mission to “leave no one behind,” which became the slogan for his gubernatorial campaign.
Related Articles
Education | After AI-generated recording of Pikesville High principal, here’s what to know about deepfakes
Education | Steuart Pittman’s $2.3 billion Anne Arundel budget plan includes tax increases, police pay bump
Education | Johns Hopkins student protest of Israel enters third day: ‘We will not stop. We will not rest’
Education | Maryland State Board of Education limits dual enrollment courses
Education | Davidsonville youth softball coach charged with sexually abusing player
Col. Michael Sapp, garrison commander at Fort Meade, said at Tuesday’s meeting that he’s moved 10 times since he joined the Army at age 18. His daughter, now a freshman in college, was enrolled in 12 schools across seven states.
“Every move means rebuilding a sense of trust,” Sapp said. “Only then can they focus on their sense of worth, their sense of identity. And as a child, we wrap that up in academics, and we wrap it up in sports. So if you were varsity last week and next week, you’re on [junior varsity] or, heaven forbid, on the bench, that breaks you down as a child.”
The eight schools that received the “Purple Star School” designation have a military liaison and programs that transition students into academic and social life. Three schools on the Fort Meade Army base in Anne Arundel County received the award: Meade High School, MacArthur Middle and West Meade Early Education Center, which has prekindergarten and kindergarten programs.
Other recipients were Mt. Harmony Elementary in Calvert County, Bellows Springs Elementary in Howard County, Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary in St. Mary’s County, and Kent Island High and Queen Anne’s County High in Queen Anne’s County.
