EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- More than 500 Eglin Elementary School children were honored as part of the Month of the Military Child celebration here April 6.
Seven base and several community helping agencies, and Eglin's USO, partnered to give the kindergarten through fourth graders gifts and bring awareness to the significance of being a military child.
This is the first time we’ve done this,” said Dennis Samac, the school’s principal.
Elaine LaJeunesse, Airman and Family Readiness Center school liaison officer, coordinated the event. She said the children serve in the community and sacrifice, just like their parents.
“We wanted to remind them they are also special,” she said.
The kids received bags to hold pencils, flying discs, stress balls and other items.
During the month, one message written by the students on heart-shaped purple paper is read over the public address system each morning, with 30 more messages read each Friday.
Written on the hearts are each child’s parent or parents’ names; how great, and difficult it is to have military parents; and who they consider their hero.
On April 6, Samac read a message about his father, stationed at Eglin in 1955 and assigned to what was then the Air Police. A student joined him and read a message about his father, a present-day 96th Security Forces Squadron member.
Samac said about half his staff are either military spouses, prior military or were military children.
“Through their experiences, we can identify with and get a jump-start on students’ issues,” he said.
A military child’s lifestyle is unique, Samac said. They often live in several states and overseas, can encounter different cultures and experience diversity at an early age.
“Some kids have to battle through the challenges the military lifestyle places upon them, while others adjust successfully and become prepared the challenges they’ll face when they’re older,” Samac said.
Samac said one of the school’s main goals is to give students a quality education and care, while making them feel special every day. That reduces their parents’ stress levels, at home or away.
“They can keep their minds on their jobs,” he said. There is less potential to make a mistake that may impact their mission because they’re preoccupied. We strive to give the parents the peace of mind of knowing they don’t have to worry about this part of their children’s lives.”