Great falls students, schools honored as part of Month of the Military Child

Students, schools, and military personnel were honored Thursday as Great Falls Public Schools commemorated the Month of the Military Child at the Early Learning Family Center.

The Purple Up Recognition Lunch, hosted by GFPS Superintendent Tom Moore, featured guest speakers from state and military leadership in Montana, including Office of Public Instruction Superintendent Elsie Arntzen and Mission and Support Group Commander Col. Christopher Karns of Malmstrom Air Force Base.

Karns said he’s had 13 assignments during his 28-year military career. In that time, his 18-year-old son has attended 10 different schools, and his 14-year-old son eight.

“In every one of those (assignments), the family is a part of that journey,” Karns said. “Every place I go, the only thing my wife and I are concerned about is the quality of education, and will our kids be able to integrate into the school system?”

Karns said he has been very grateful for the leadership in Great Falls across the board, from local government to the school district.

“What this community has done in terms of education for Malmstrom, you guys are truly heroes,” Karns said. “The memories that are made, the lessons learned in school are critical. You are contributing greatly to our nation’s defense.”

Before presenting awards, Arntzen spoke about the sacrifices made by military-connected families.

“(The students) serve with the adults,” Arntzen said. “They are part of the mission…Our mission is working together. In every corner of this state, in every corner of every classroom, we need to be working together.”

Four Purple Star Student Awards were presented to those in military families, including Levi Nelson of ELF, Ezekial and Zola Brody of Meadow Lark Elementary, Karson Wonsick and Alice Bartter of Chief Joseph and Tahlia Murrilo of Great Falls High.

Cadet Nathaniel Mayer, the cadet corps commander of the Great Falls High JROTC, received a full-ride scholarship to Montana State University for his achievements with the program. Mayer officially received the scholarship by inking his “letter of intent” in the style of a student-athlete signing with a college program.

Five schools were awarded the Purple Star School Award, including Great Falls High School, Chief Joseph and Meadow Lark elementaries, the Early Learning Family Center, and Montana School for the Deaf and Blind.

“We wanted to partner with families from around the country to know that they could come to Great Falls and that we had specialists that could work with deaf and hard-of-hearing children and visually impaired children, and make Great Falls an option for military families,” said Paul Furthmyre, superintendent of MSDB.

Great Falls High Principal Geoff Habel said the goal of the school is to be a place of inclusion for all.

“We have a long history of a very diverse population at Great Falls High, we’re over 100 years old,” Habel said. “We just wanted to let everybody know a little more about us and be a welcoming place.”

Accepting the award for Chief Joseph was Principal Brian Miller, who said that over 20 percent of the school’s students are from military-connected families.

“We’re just excited to support them and be a part of their journey,” Miller said.

“Meadow Lark is an amazing place,” Principal Teresa Sprague said. “We do have a relatively high military population of families that we serve, including (Montana Air National Guard). Really this just signifies the collaboration we want to do and how we want to make sure we do everything we can to support our military families in transition and the day-in and day-out and that we’re at our best in meeting their needs.”

Said ELF Principal Colette Getten: “I believe that we have been awarded this for our successful pilot of transitional kindergarten and just the momentum that it has created for our military families, our staff and the community in general.”

Receiving Purple Star Champion Awards were retired Lt. Col. Brian Holbein and retired Master Sgt. Michael Wonch of the JROTC program at Great Falls High, as well as Col. Karns.

Reporter Grady Higgins can be reached at ghiggins@greatfallstribune.com. Photos were provided courtesy of Matt Ehnes of Jared's Detours.

This article originally appeared on Great Falls Tribune: Great Falls Month of the Military Child ceremony recognizes community