HONORING VETERANS — Educator and veteran Jessica Lynch and Ethan Anderson of the West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance attended Monday’s meeting of the Hancock County Board of Education to discuss the Purple Star program, designed to both recognize military service and support children in military families. -- Craig Howell

NEW CUMBERLAND — Hancock County Schools will be the latest West Virginia school district to become part of the Purple Star program.

According to the West Virginia Department of Education, “The Purple Star Award is a designation assigned to schools which display a special commitment to supporting military children and their families.”

Members of the Hancock County Board of Education Monday unanimously approved a proposal to join the program after hearing from Ethan Anderson of the West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance and Jessica Lynch, an educator and military veteran known for her capture and rescue while serving in Iraq in 2003.

Lynch explained the Purple Star program is designed to support children who are part of military families.

“We want to make sure our military children are not forgotten,” she said.

Anderson first learned of the program while attending a national conference, and reported there now are 43 of 50 states with a program established. Five other states currently have proposals to establish one. Leading up to West Virginia setting up its program, though, Anderson said few people he spoke to were aware of it.

“This is a very active program across the country,” Anderson said. “We were shocked so few in West Virginia were aware.”

He and Lynch have been among those touring the state, speaking with local-level school officials, and, before Monday, 16 of 55 counties were participating, with 297 schools.

Lynch said, as part of being registered with the Purple Star program, school districts must hold at least two activities in recognition of veterans — such as Veterans Day services or a Spirit Week with a focus on paying tribute to members of the military services, or a Military Service signing week to recognize students planning to enter military service — as well as establish support staff to assist the children in military families.

Those staff can include specialized counselors, as well as someone to serve as a navigator to assist a student in a military family who may be moving into the school district.

Kristin Bissett, director of federal programs/student services/assessment, explained Lynch had reached out to her earlier in the school year about joining the program.

“We’ve been going back and forth,” she said, explaining it took some time to have a time for Lynch to visit Hancock County.

School officials, prior to voting Monday, expressed enthusiasm for the opportunities of being a Purple Star District.

“It looks like a great program,” Superintendent Dan Enich said.

Assistant Superintendent Dave Smith noted several of the county’s schools already participate in some of the programs cited as being recognized for the Purple Star, including Patriot’s Pen.