MCEC Podcast

The Purple Star School program is designed to help schools respond to the educational and social-emotional challenges military-connected children face during their transition to a new school.  Listen as Pete LuPiba, “Founder of Purple Star Schools,” discusses how the Purple Star Program is helping military-connected students and families thrive.

This podcast is made possible by generous funding from the Scott Spouses’ Club. To learn more, visit https://www.scottspouseclub.com/.

Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.

Ohio Purple Star Schools

http://www.ohiopurplestar.org/

Ohio Department of Education

https://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Other-Resources/Military-Resources/Schools/Purple-Star-Award

Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission (MIC3)-Ohio

https://mic3.net/state/ohio/

National Advocate for Purple Star Schools

https://militarychild.org/programs-and-initiatives/purple-star-schools/

Pete LuPiba is Ohio’s (MIC3) Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commissioner. Initially appointed in 2012 and duly reappointed by the Honorable Mike DeWine, Governor of Ohio in 2019. LuPiba serves as Deputy Director for the Office of Budget and Management in the State of Ohio. LuPiba formerly served as Public Affairs Officer at the Department of Education, 2007-2019.

LuPiba founded the Purple Star School Award for Military family-friendly schools in 2015-2017. Purple Star is in 40+ States (*with 4,100+ Schools), including Virginia, Alaska, South Carolina, Florida, California, Texas, Idaho, Washington State, and New Hampshire – with 600 Purple Star Schools across Ohio. LuPiba was honored to serve as a key advisor and the Master of Ceremonies as Ohio formally launched the Collegiate Purple Star initiative as led by Governor Mike DeWine, and Chancellor Randy Gardner, and the Department of Higher Education.

In November of 2022, fellow Ohioans, state MIC3 leaders around the country, and Governor Mike DeWine nominated LuPiba to be honored in the 30th Anniversary Class of the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame. This Hall of Fame includes Ulysses S. Grant, Neil A. Armstrong, and John H. Glenn. In February of 2023, Adjutant General of the Ohio Army and Air National Guard; Major General John C. Harris, Jr. commissioned LuPiba as an Honorary Buckeye Colonel.

LuPiba coordinated the effort to eliminate the professional educator licensure fee for teachers and coaches and administrators who have served or are serving in the Armed Forces’ Uniform – including the spouses of active-duty personnel. As of 2023, Military families in Ohio have saved more than $365,000.

In 2017-2018, LuPiba developed a state-wide Military Signing Day ceremony for those young men and women choosing to join the Armed Forces to begin their career, including through the Branch Service Academies and ROTC Scholarships at Universities and Colleges. At the 2023 Ceremony, Ohio hosted more than 300 attendees in the State’s capital of Columbus at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum.

LuPiba served active-duty, enlisted United States Navy – deploying with Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 11 to Iraq in 2006. LuPiba completed his duty in the Armed Forces while attached to the Reserves – serving with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 26.

LuPiba is an Alumnus of The Ohio State University and the University of Southern California. LuPiba is married to technology evangelist and cybersecurity expert, Jennifer. The LuPibas reside in greater Columbus with their five children; Sally, Corazon, Lincoln, Grant, and Washington.

Listen as Dr. Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth discusses the importance of conducting research of military and veteran families to improve their overall well-being.  She discusses the Military Family Research Institute’s Operation Military Experience, a nationwide study that looks at the experiences of families who have faced a parental deployment. 

This podcast is made possible by generous funding from the USAA Foundation.  

Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.

The Military Family Research Institute

https://www.mfri.purdue.edu/

Operation Military Experience

https://opme.mfri.purdue.edu/

Dr. Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth is a Distinguished Professor of Human Development and Family Science at Purdue University, where she directs the Military Family Research Institute, which she co-founded, and serves as Director Emerita of the Center for Families. Dr. MacDermid Wadsworth holds an M.B.A. in Management and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Human Development and Family Studies from The Pennsylvania State University.

Her primary research interest is the relationship between work conditions and family life, with special focus on military families. She is an author of over 140 articles and chapters. Her research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health; the Departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs, and Agriculture; state governments; and numerous private philanthropies.

Dr. MacDermid Wadsworth is a recipient of the Work Life Legacy Award from the Families and Work Institute and a fellow of the National Council on Family Relations, from which she also received the Felix Berardo Scholarship Award for Mentoring (2018) and the Burgess Award for continuous and meritorious contributions to theory and research in the family field (2022). She has served on federal advisory committees for the National Academies of Science and the Department of Defense and has testified in Congress on multiple occasions regarding military and veteran families. 

In 2016, Purdue University received the Kellogg Award from the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities and the Higher Education Civic Engagement Award from the Washington Center in recognition of the work of the Military Family Research Institute. Dr. MacDermid Wadsworth is a recipient of the Morrill Award, Purdue University’s highest faculty honor, for outstanding career achievements that have had an impact on society and has been named a “Top Ten Extraordinary Contributor” among work-family researchers worldwide.

Partners in PROMISE is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to protect the rights of military children in special education and disability communities to ensure they receive equal access to education.  Listen as Dr. Jenna Kremkow and Carla Wyrsch discuss how the PROMISE advocates for military children with special and exceptional needs.

This podcast is made possible by generous funding from the Tinker Spouses Club. To learn more, visit https://www.tinkerspouses.org/.

Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.

Partners in PROMISE

https://thepromiseact.org/

Partners in PROMISE Special Education & EFMP Binder 

https://thepromiseact.org/binder/

Educator Report

https://thepromiseact.org/educators-report-partners-in-promise-2022-research-findings/

Jenna Kremkow is an associate professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Elmhurst University. She completed her MS and PhD at The Pennsylvania State University with an emphasis in autism, augmentative and alternative communication, child language disorders, and stakeholder training and perspectives. Clinically, Jenna has worked as a speech-language pathologist in elementary schools, outpatient clinics, and early intervention settings.

Jenna teaches courses in augmentative and alternative communication, autism, language disorders in children, and research methods. One of her research areas focuses on the experiences of military families with children with autism and the use of technology to improve communication outcomes and quality of life for children with autism and their families. Her goal is to use research to support data-driven recommendations and policy changes to improve special education services for military families.

Carla Wyrsch is the spouse of a retired United States Marine and mother of two. She has devoted her career to educating and advocating for children with disABILITIES. Her experience spans a variety of settings, including residential treatment facilities, military bases, public schools, and the Lerner School for Autism at the Cleveland Clinic. Currently, she is a School Operations Director with MIYO Health. In addition to her work with MIYO Health, Carla enjoys volunteering with Best Buddies of Greater Memphis, the Organization for Autism Research, and Partners in PROMISE as a content creator and advisory board member.

Dr. Kimberly Dickman discusses an epidemic of loneliness across the United States and the impact that it's having on mental health.  She also shares the importance of developing meaningful connections, and how those connections influence our overall well-being.  

This podcast is made possible by generous funding from the USAA Foundation.  

Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.

Dickman, K. (2024, July). Loneliness: The New Global Pandemic. On the Move. Summer 2024

https://militarychild.org/news-and-publications/

PERMA Theory of Well-Being

https://ppc.sas.upenn.edu/learn-more/perma-theory-well-being-and-perma-workshops

Barbara Fredrickson: How Love and Connection Exist in Micro-Moments

https://psychology.unc.edu/2021/11/30/barbara-fredrickson-explains-how-shared-positive-emotions-make-us-happier-healthier-and-more-connected/

Dr. Kimberly S. Dickman serves as an assistant professor at the U.S. Air Force Academy Center for Character and Leadership Development (CCLD), where she leads the Healthy Relationship Education and Emotional Intelligence branch of the Development Division in the Center. CCLD’s mission is to advance the understanding, scholarship, practice, and integration of character and leadership development, resulting in cadets and permanent party prepared for service to the nation.

Dr. Dickman is a licensed clinical professional counselor and certified educator. She began her work in education for the Department of Defense in 1991. During her 20+ years of civilian service she has performed at the Wing and Headquarters Air Force level before coming to USAFA. Of note is her work in the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program where she focused on education, analysis, and prevention science. Her extensive experience allows her to serve at USAFA as faculty and lead in topics such as healthy relationships, emotional intelligence, positive psychology, prevention science, human sexuality, and leadership development. She teaches Human Sex, Reproduction, and Sexuality in the Biology Department and Applied Positive Psychology in the Behavioral Science and Leadership Department. 

Dr. Dickman is widely recognized and is frequently requested to present across the DoD and on a national scale.

September 15th through October 15th is National Hispanic American Heritage Month, celebrating the contributions of Hispanic Americans who have positively influenced and enriched our nation.  Listen as Dr. Jessica Meléndez-Carrillo, a lifelong educator, discusses the importance of embracing a cultural community with understanding, respect, and support.  In addition, she shares best practices for supporting military-connected students and their families.

This podcast is made possible by generous funding from the Air and Space Forces Spouses’ Club of Washington DC. To learn more, visit https://www.afoscdc.com/.

Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.

2022 Demographics Profile of the Military Community

https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/24177791/2022-demographics-report.pdf

https://www.militaryonesource.mil/data-research-and-statistics/military-community-demographics/

Economic and International Development Population Demographics- City of El Paso

https://www.elpasotexas.gov/economic-development/economic-snapshot/population-demographics/

Texas Education Agency Purple Star Campus Designation

https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/other-services/military-families/purple-star-campus-designation

Congressman Silvestre and Carolina Reyes Elementary School

https://res.canutillo-isd.org/

Canutillo Independent School District

https://www.canutillo-isd.org/

Dr. Jessica Meléndez-Carrillo serves as Principal at Congressman Silvestre and Carolina Reyes Elementary School in El Paso, Texas in the Canutillo Independent School District. Dr. Meléndez-Carrillo has worked in public education for 20 years working with students ranging from PreK through 5th grade as well as teaching college courses. Over the years, she has served as a teacher, instructional coach, curriculum district coordinator and assistant principal. She is a proud graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso where she received her bachelor's and a master’s degree. In 2018, she was selected as the National Assistant Principal of the Year for Texas by TEPSA (Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association) and in November 2021, El Paso Inc., a local magazine, named her as the top 5 school principals in the region.

Dr. Meléndez-Carrillo currently serves on the Executive Board of El Paso TALAS (Texas Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents) as the President-Elect. In June 2022, she was invited to attend Harvard University as part of the Raise Your Hand Texas cohort to focus on School Turnaround Leadership. In December 2022, she graduated from West Texas A&M University with a doctorate in educational leadership focusing on teacher retention and leadership. She has been invited to participate in national webinars as a guest speaker such as NAESP (National Association of Elementary School Principals) and Principals of Success to share her educational journey and work in public education.

Under her leadership, Congressman Silvestre and Carolina Reyes Elementary School has been awarded the Texas Education Agency Purple Star designation, being the first school in the Westside area of El Paso to earn this designation, due to their work commitment to meeting the unique needs of military-connected students and their families. Additionally, the school has earned the recognition of a Best Elementary School in 2024 by the U.S. News and World Report and the Honor Roll School designation by the Educational Results Partnership.

As an educator and transformational leader, Dr. Meléndez-Carrillo believes education is the opportunity equalizer and advocates for equitable education for all students providing a culture of excellence and giving a voice to the voiceless.

Technology has had an incredible impact on how we live and work in the world today.  Our access to videos, websites, and social media platforms are just at our fingertips.  But does digital media usage affect our mental health?  Listen as Dr. Justin Rowberry discusses the impact that this usage has on our mental, emotional, and behavioral health… especially for our kids.

This podcast is made possible by generous funding from the Luke Spouses' Club and Tyndall Spouses Club.  To learn more, visit https://www.lukespousesclub.org/ and https://www.tyndallsc.org/.

Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.

Resources:

Justin R. Rowberry, MD leads an innovative health program designed to provide developmental, behavioral, and mental health care to remote or underserved locations across the world.  Dr. Rowberry ensures timely delivery of needed remote care through a combination of virtual video visits, specialty provider extender training, and provider travel, improving health care for those who need it most.

The topic of mental health continues to be a priority in our world today.  Listen as Ashley Jensen discusses why our emotional, psychological, and social well-being are so important.  She also shares how the Cohen Veterans Network is helping support our military-connected families.

This podcast is made possible by generous funding from the Fort Bliss Spouses’ Association. To learn more, visit https://www.thefbsa.org/.

Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.

Cohen Veterans Network

https://www.cohenveteransnetwork.org/

National Alliance on Mental Illness

https://www.nami.org/

Foulkes, L. (2024, January 4).The adolescent mental health mess. Medium.

https://lucyfoulkes3.medium.com/the-adolescent-mental-health-mess-c93f23f8ed56

Ashley Jensen is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who has been serving children and families with complex behavioral health diagnosis and relational distress for over thirteen years. As a clinician, she developed specialties in Trauma-Focused CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), Solution-Focused Therapy, parent coaching, and evidence-based practices. Ashley has extensive experience as a Clinical Supervisor and Service Director of non-profit behavioral health services provided via clinic-based settings, home-based wraparound services, and crisis response teams. As a Senior Manager of Clinical Practice at Cohen Veterans Network, Ashley's aim is to drive innovation in clinical leadership and spark creativity in child and family therapy.

Dr. Patricia Jennings discusses the importance of supporting our educator’s mental health and well-being, especially those that work with our military-connected students.  She introduces us to CARE for Teachers (Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education), a professional development program designed to help teachers with stress management and rediscover the joys of teaching.

This podcast is made possible by our partnership with The National Child Traumatic Stress Network and their generous support. To learn more, visit  https://www.nctsn.org/.

Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.

CARE for Teachers (Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education)

https://care4teachers.org/

Compassionate Schools Project

https://www.compassionschools.org/

Patricia A. Jennings M.Ed., Ph.D. is an internationally recognized leader in the fields of social and emotional learning and mindfulness in education. A Professor of Education at the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Virginia, her research places a specific emphasis on teacher stress and how it impacts the social and emotional context of the classroom, as articulated in her highly cited theoretical article "The Prosocial Classroom." Jennings led the team that developed CARE, a mindfulness-based professional development program shown to significantly improve teacher well-being, classroom interactions, and student outcomes in the largest randomized controlled trial of a mindfulness-based intervention designed to address teacher stress. CARE research has been validated by What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) and the CARE program is recommended by the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) for supporting teachers’ well-being. She is a co-author of Flourish: The Compassionate Schools Project curriculum, an integrated health and social and emotional learning program. She is the author numerous peer-reviewed journal articles and chapters and several books including Mindfulness for Teachers: Simple Skills for Peace and Productivity in the Classroom and Mindfulness in the Pre-K-5 Classroom: Helping Students Stress Less and Learn More. Earlier in her career she spent 22 years as a teacher, school leader, and teacher educator.

We were delighted to be able to sit down with Lucy a year after our first conversation.  Listen as she discusses her recent PCS, how it feels to start all over again as the new kid, and how her love of music helps during those challenging times.

This podcast is made possible by generous funding from the Mountain Home Officers’ Spouses’ Club and Naval Officers’ Spouses’ Club Washington, D.C. To learn more, visit  https://www.mountainhomeosc.org/ and https://www.noscdc.org/.

Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.

If you would like to hear part of Lucy’s original song and listen to her discuss her experiences growing up a military child, we have shared the link to our earlier podcast.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hello-my-name-is-lucy/id1386801038?i=1000626814063

Lucy is a 14-year-old military child.  Her father is in the US Navy and she just completed her fourth move!  Last year, Lucy was a member of the National Junior Honor Society and held the Parliamentary position.  She was captain of her school’s dance team, a member of the jazz band, and was asked to sing the National Anthem at the opening season of softball.  She loves to sing, dance, and write her own songs.  She is a kind and compassionate daughter, sister, and friend.  This year she will be starting high school as a freshman at Jamestown High School in Williamsburg, Virginia and is looking forward to making new friends.  

Student 2 Student is a peer-to-peer student-led program that brings military and civilian students together to welcome new students, create a positive environment for all, support educational opportunities, build connections through service, and ease transitions.  Listen as Emily discusses how her S2S is helping new students start the school year with a great support network.  

This podcast is made possible by generous funding from the Maxwell Gunter Spouses’ Club and Mountain Home Officers’ Spouses’ Club. To learn more, visit https://www.maxwellgunterspousesclub.com/ and https://www.mountainhomeosc.org/.

Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.

My name is Emily, and I am a Senior at Fort Campbell High School, KY. My step-dad serves in the Army, and I am proud to be a military kid! However, unlike most of my friends I did not grow up in the military, my mom married my step-dad only four years ago! Since then I have had the privilege of being a member of my school's Student 2 Student program, helping new students navigate moving and adjusting to a new environment. I am super involved at school and have been on the Varsity Volleyball team all four years! Additionally, I am a part of the National Honors Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Book Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and I manage the Track and Field team. However, my biggest passion is helping others feel loved and safe, which is why I hope to pursue a career in nursing and midwifery after high school.