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Anthony Wayne schools honored with multiple Purple Star designations for military-connected students
Summary
Ohio School Boards Association presented Purple Star certificates to three Anthony Wayne Local Schools buildings and district staff described programs supporting military-connected students across six buildings.
The Ohio School Boards Association presented Purple Star certificates to Fallen Timbers Middle School, Anthony Wayne High School and Waterville Primary during the Anthony Wayne Local Schools board meeting, recognizing the schools’ work to support students connected to the U.S. military.
The Purple Star designation, administered in Ohio through guidance tied to the Military Interstate Children's Compact Commission (MC3), recognizes schools that make a sustained commitment to military-connected students and families. Martie Rothy, Northwest Region manager for the Ohio School Boards Association, said the award honors school-level efforts on behalf of service members’ children.
District staff and building liaisons described recurring programs and supports for military families. Christine Young, who leads the district’s Purple Star program and serves on the MC3 council, said the district treats military-connected students broadly to include active duty, guard and reserve members, veterans, gold star families and students with relatives currently serving. “We try to encompass a whole broad spectrum of what it means to be military connected at Anthony Wayne,” Young said.
Waterville Primary’s liaison reported the school has about 35 Purple Star students and meets regularly in student leadership groups called Purple Star Generals. The students plan service projects, lead outreach to other students about military careers and worked with a junior-high group to raise funds for a flagpole and hold a flag-raising ceremony.
Other buildings described similar activities: Whitehouse Primary organizes an annual military family night and visits Veterans Memorial Park; Monclova Primary holds lunch groups and participates in statewide Purple Up spirit week; Fallen Timbers detailed counseling supports and a recent example in which staff arranged a time during the school day for a student to call a deployed parent; and the junior high and high school described assemblies, veteran speaker programs, field trips to a nearby National Guard base and career presentations including Civil Air Patrol and college representatives covering military-family education benefits.
Presenters said the district hosts a fall military appreciation event at a football game using a large flag borrowed from Bowling Green State University, runs family bingo and “Purple Up” activities in April (the month of the military child), and invites veterans into classrooms for Veteran’s Day programs. Several buildings have renewed their Purple Star designation; district staff said all six school buildings within Anthony Wayne Local Schools hold the recognition in 2024–2025.
Board members and administrators thanked staff, liaisons and student participants for their work identifying needs, coordinating events and maintaining open lines of communication with military families. After the presentations the board invited Purple Star students and liaisons to be recognized and take a group photograph.
The board then recessed regular business and proceeded with its agenda.
