Mission Homefront Joins Forces with OMK to Support Military Children
Mission Homefront recently joined the Operation: Military Kids’ Pennsylvania team to help support geographically dispersed children and youth of military service members in Pennsylvania. Operation: Military Kids (OMK) is the U.S. Army’s collaborative effort with America’s communities to support children and youth impacted by deployment. Officially launched in April of 2005, OMK has touched 65,000 military youth and provided information to 7200 community members in 34 states across the United States since its inception.
As part of the OMK team, Mission Homefront will work with representatives from the Pennsylvania National Guard, Pennsylvania Army Reserves, Army Child & Youth Services from Carlisle Barracks and Tobyhanna, Penn State Cooperative Extension 4-H, Naval Fleet & Family Support Center Willow Grove, Pennsylvania Child Care Association and the American Legion Auxiliary. Together this team will provide youth development opportunities for school age and teenaged youth and connect them to support resources where they live. This will be achieved by:
- Assembling and distributing Hero Packs to military youth
- Connecting children and youth with deployed soldiers through the use of Mobile Technology Labs (MTL)
- Training youth advocates through the Speak out for Military Kids (SOMK) project
- Combining resources and expertise from the various team members to build community capacity to support military children and youth before, during and after deployment
For more information about Operation: Military Kids (OMK) in Pennsylvania visit the OMK website.
Military Scholarship Book
A college education is a big investment of time, money, and effort. And the hardest part of the equation is often figuring out how to pay for it. This Military Handbook was published to help you put the pieces of the puzzle together - and to help you find the funding you need to pursue your goals for college - and beyond.
Operation Purple
Many military children and suddenly military children are experiencing multiple deployments or have more than one parent or family member deployed. The National Military Family Association (NMFA) created the Operation Purple summer camp program to give military children who are experiencing some stage of a deployment and the stress that goes along with it the tools to face these challenges head-on and with success. This program offers free summer camps around the world for military children with fun camps activities to develop friendships that will last a lifetime. Operation Purple camps give kids the coping skills and peer support networks to better handle life’s ups and downs.
Registration for the 2007 Operation Purple Camp opens March 15th. For more information, please visit: www.nmfa.org/site/PageServer?pagename=op_default
Mission Homefront Conducts Workshop at SAP Conference
On August 16, 2006, Mary Dolan, Safe Schools Coordinator and program coordinator for Pennsylvania's Mission Homefront initiative, presented a Mission Homefront: Raising Awareness of Children's Needs During Deployment workshop at the Student Assistant Program (SAP) Commonwealth Approved Trainers conference. Information was provided on the emotional cycles of deployment, how to identify students in need of support and how to provide support. For information on how you can help to raise awareness, bring Mission Homefront educational opportunities to your school/community and obtain related resources contact Mary at 7117-763-1661, ext. 151 or mdolan@csc.csiu.org
Mission Homefront Presentation (PowerPoint in PDF format)
The presentation also included a viewing of Sesame Street's Talk, Listen, Connect Parent's video. To view the video from your PC, go to the Sesame Street website and click on "Watch" (Parent Video).
Mission Homefront Raises Awareness at National Panel Discussion
The Center for Schools and Communities was invited to present on the impact of military deployment on children and families at the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) 8th Annual Conference in Houston, Texas. Mary Dolan, Mission Homefront Coordinator, was one of four panelists to address the needs of children and families affected by military deployment. Mission Homefront is designed to educate and provide resources for Pennsylvania’s school personnel and families who are struggling with the impact of deployment on Pennsylvania’s children. For more information about the conference, visit: http://www.militarychild.org/Houston.asp
Sesame Street DVD Kit Will Help Young Children of Military Families
Being a part of a military family can be a real challenge, especially for young children. That’s why Sesame Workshop and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. with support from the New York State Office of Mental Health (NYSOMH) and the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) have partnered to create Talk, Listen, Connect: Helping Families During Military Deployment.
The free bilingual kits, which include a Sesame Street DVD, a parent/caregiver magazine and a child’s activity poster. These resources will provide specific strategies to help young children cope with the feelings, challenges, and concerns experienced during various phases of deployment: pre-deployment, deployment and homecoming.
Talk, Listen, Connect is available at no cost to schools, child care programs, family support centers and other organizations serving the needs of military families.
To read the press release announcing this resource, visit the Sesame Street website's Press Room at: http://www.sesameworkshop.org/aboutus/inside_press.php?
contentId=16582983
To request a kit or to download all the materials online, go to www.sesameworkshop.org/tlc.
Returning Soldiers Bring Joy, Stress to Families
Since the beginning of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, hundreds of thousands of American soldiers have deployed overseas to fight - over half of them parents. That's a lot of children saying goodbye to Mom or Dad - and then, hopefully, welcoming that parent home again.
For soldiers and their families the reunions are both long-awaited and bittersweet. The soldiers are learning how to be home again, where danger does not lurk around every corner. Their spouses and children are going through the readjustment of having their loved one back home after so many months of being without them.
To read the entire article, please visit the Connect for Kids website.
Mission Homefront Professional Development Events a Success
Mission Homefront Regional Professional Development workshops were held on March 8 & 9 at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania and April 5 & 6 at the Desmond Hotel and Conference Center in Malvern, Pennsylvania. With over 18,000 children in the Commonwealth being affected by military deployment, Mission Homefront’s Professional Development workshops were designed to raise awareness of the issues surrounding deployment and to present response strategies to help those who are impacted.
For more news on the success of these events, click here.
Governor Rendell Announces Educational Services to Students and Families of Deployed Pennsylvania Servicemen and Women
Governor Edward G. Rendell’s office released a statement about the Mission Homefront initiative and the professional development opportunities on March 8, 2006. In the press release, Governor Rendell announced the launch of Mission Homefront to help serve the needs of students statewide who have been impacted by the deployment of friends or family members.
“We owe a great deal of gratitude to our military and National Guard members serving abroad,” Governor Rendell said. “By committing our efforts to help their loved ones, we can work to ensure their children are provided tools and resources that will assist them to achieve academically when facing the stresses associated with deployment.”
“Through ‘Mission Homefront’ we can help children better understand why their moms or dads are not home, that it is okay to experience a wide array of emotions during these trying times and help them succeed educationally, socially and psychologically.”
It was also stated that, in a joint effort of the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the Center for Schools and Communities and the Military Child Education Coalition, professional development opportunities are being offered to educators, administrators and counselors professional development opportunities to help understand deployment and its impact on children, assist schools in identifying the number of students affected by deployment and reinforce the role of parents and educators in providing stability during the deployment period. This year “Mission Homefront” is offering both a one-day workshop and a two-day institute. Both trainings offer guidance on several issues relating to deployment’s effects on a child’s academic status.
“Under the direction of Governor Rendell, the Department of Education will continue to engage in programs that allow us to know every child by name, ensuring that individual needs are met in order for them to achieve academic success,” Secretary of Education Dr. Gerald Zahorchak said. “’Mission Homefront’ enables us to work directly with these students as they learn to cope with the unique aspects of growing up in a military family.”
10 Tips To Help Children
For children whose parents are serving in the military and are deployed overseas, holidays can be filled with questions and sadness. However, with help from Mission Homefront, a Pennsylvania-specific initiative to support children, holidays can be fulfilling.
“Through Mission Homefront, which was created…by the Department of Education, the Pennsylvania National Guard and the Center for Schools and Communities, relatives can help children better understand why their moms or dads aren’t home for the holidays,” Zahorchak said.
Lynn Cromley, director of the Center for Schools and Communities, said there are specific ways parents and relatives can help military children cope with missing parents.
“Let kids talk about their feelings and listen to what they’re saying. If you can answer their questions, do so. If not, tell them you’ll help them find an answer,” Cromley said. “Journals and support groups also provide good outlets for children struggling to express themselves."
“These 10 tips are easy to follow and help us better understand that while many of us are enjoying this holiday season, some of our children are only feeling stress and sadness,” Zahorchak added.
10 TIPS TO HELP CHILDREN
1. Talk.
The most important thing for children whose loved ones are deployed is for them to be able to talk with someone. Give them age-appropriate information and try to answer questions they might ask. Don’t be afraid to say you don’t know an answer.
2. Review and explore.
Find a map and show older children where their loved one is stationed. Consider using the time as an opportunity to discuss different cultures and holiday traditions.
3. Help children count the days until their parent returns home.
While children are out of school, do activities together to help them count the time until their loved one returns. Take pictures and create a scrapbook to share.
4. Listen.
Children have feelings about deployment too and need to be heard. Let them know it’s okay to be angry, sad or scared. Validate their feelings and encourage them to continue sharing their feelings.
5. Write.
Write a journal as an outlet for emotions. Encourage kids to write letters.
6. Find a family support group.
Getting children together who are going through a similar experience will allow them to feel less isolated. If you don’t have one, start one.
7. Limit exposure to news reports of the war.
Expect questions from children who may see graphic news stories or hear of them from their peers.
8. Use available resources.
One of the best resources for working with children is Pennsylvania’s Mission Homefront website at www.center-school.org/homefront.
9. Reach out to others.
Lessen feelings of isolation during the holidays by reaching out to other families affected by deployment and by finding ways to serve others less fortunate. Helping children find ways to give to others also helps them feel less alone.
10. Have ongoing dialog between the child’s parent or guardian and the child’s school.
When the child returns to school, tell teachers and administrators if there were any significant behavioral changes. Schools should know that a child might be going through some unique challenges because of the deployment of a parent or relative.
USA TODAY Story on Children Affected by War
The December 12, 2005 issue of USA TODAY featured a story on the Pentagon's efforts to emotionally safeguard children whose parents are at war. Read the complete story
Mission Homefront Participates in Veterans Day Ceremony at Department of Education
Mission Homefront coordinators, Mary Dolan and Roberta Lucas-Spahr, participated in a Veterans Day Ceremony on Friday, November 4, 2005 at the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The ceremony paid respect to all Pennsylvania veterans and particularly the Department employees and retirees who are either veterans or are currently serving in the military. The event was sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Education's Division of Veterans/Military Education and the Pennsylvania Advisory Council for Military/Veterans Education.
Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Launches Initiative to Educate Educators and Students About Military Deployment
Mission Homefront Addresses the Impact of Deployment on Children, Families and Communities
The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), in collaboration with the Pennsylvania National Guard and the Center for Schools and Communities, launched an initiative, entitled Mission Homefront,on May 27th 2005. The goal of this initiative is to educate Pennsylvania’s school personnel and students on military deployment and its impact on children, families and communities.
“It is vital that our educators know how to help support their students and their academic achievement both during and after a military deployment,”said Dr. Gerald L. Zahorchak, PDE’s Deputy Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education. “For these reasons alone, To kick off Mission Homefront, Dr. Zahorchak joined National Guard members, local veterans, school officials, parents and about 350 students at Johnstown High School in the Greater Johnstown School District.
"While our service members are making personal sacrifices around the globe, it is crucial for us to do all that we can to ensure the well-being of their family members at home,” said Major General Jessica L. Wright, Adjutant General of the Pennsylvania National Guard. “By increasing awareness of the impact of deployment on our military children, Mission Homefront will act as a safety net for students in our educational communities. Thanks to this vital partnership, educators will have access to tools and practices that will enable them to further assist our nation's youngest heroes – our service members' children."
For further information about Mission Homefront, please contact Mary Dolan, Program Coordinator, at the Center for Schools and Communities at 717-763-1661 ext. 151 or e-mail mdolan@csc.csiu.org.
Launch of Mission Homefront
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| Mission Homefront was launched during a Memorial Day program for elementary students in the Greater Johnstown School District. All of the children in this photo have been affected by military deployment. |