8 Schools Receive Purple Star School Award
All eight of the district's elementary schools have been designated as a Purple Star School.
HOPKINSVILLE, KY (November 16, 2022). Christian County Public Schools has announced all eight of the district’s elementary schools have earned a Purple Star Award Designation from the Kentucky Department of Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities. The distinction adds the district to a growing number of schools to receive the award in the Commonwealth. The Purple Star Program is part of the Department of Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities’ Strategies to strengthen the resiliency of Kentucky’s military-connected youth and ensure that their social, emotional, and academic needs are met. According to the 2018 Kentucky Incentives for Prevention Survey approximately 50,000 youth in Kentucky reported having a military connection, either through service in the armed forces, National Guard, or Reserves or as veterans. Military-connected youth, can be affected by their family member’s deployment and military service and report higher rates of serious psychological distress, and substance use, compared to non-military-connected youth.
The Purple Star Designation was a partnered effort with the Christian County Chamber of Commerce through their Military Affairs Committee (MAC) Director Kristi Murtha, Workforce and Education Development (WED) Director Angie Major, Purple Star Convening Coordinator NCR Tara Habhab as well as district leadership and the school liaisons. Each elementary school will be recognized at Thursday night’s Board meeting at 6 PM. A recognition ceremony is being planned for a later date with local and state leaders to present each school with their Purple Star banners.
“We are very excited to join 41 states, the U.S. Department of Defense, the Military Child Education Coalition, and the Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission in our Purple Star Award School Program. Kentucky schools can strengthen the resiliency of our military-connected youth and celebrate civic responsibility through informative programs, spirit activities, and increased staff expertise. We hope schools across the Commonwealth will embrace this great opportunity,” said Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman, who concurrently serves as Secretary of the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet.
The Purple Star designation recognizes schools that show a major commitment to serving students and families connected to our nation’s armed forces. To earn the Purple Star Award a school designates at least one school staff to serve as a military youth liaison. The liaison receives training in military culture and risk and protective factors and stressors associated with being a member of a military family. The schools host at least one military recognition event per school year and post-military resources on its webpage.
“We are very proud of each of our schools being able to obtain this designation,” said CCPS Superintendent Chris Bentzel. “Our teachers and staff at the schools are truly the champions for students and the ones who go above and beyond to serve our military families. We are honored to receive this prestigious award.”
Kentucky’s Purple Star Program is overseen by an Advisory Board composed of representatives from eighteen agencies serving service members and veterans. “A supportive school environment can have a significant impact on our military-connected students by promoting community resiliency. Purple Star Award schools provide our children and families with the resources they need to be successful. We’re honored to see Kentucky schools support their important work by providing such excellent programs and services,” said Brigadier General (U.S. Air Force, Retired) Steve Bullard, Executive Director, and Kentucky Commission on Military Affairs and Purple Star Program Advisory Board Co-Chair.
For more information about the Kentucky Purple Star Award please visit: