St. Albert the Great at Assumption Academy in Broadview Heights recently celebrated its designation as an Ohio Purple Star School in recognition of its commitment to serving military-connected families and students. It is one of only 165 schools statewide to receive the three-year designation for meeting specific criteria set by Ohio’s Purple Star Advisory Board.
Principal Rick Kaliszewski and teacher Sharon Shreiner played key roles in applying for the designation. They also created a system of support that addresses the unique academic, social and emotional needs of military-connected families.
The school celebrated with a “Purple Up Rally” to recognize the children of military personnel currently attending the school.
(See a photo gallery from the rally above.)
Students filed into the gym and the event began with a color guard ceremony presented by the About Wolfpack Battalion ROTC-Cleveland. The group includes students from John Carroll University. The Wolfpack Battalion is a competitive leadership development course dedicated to developing second lieutenants in the Army.
Sgt. First Class T. Kyle Bennett invited students whose parents are serving in the military to come forward and thanked them for their families’ service. He spoke to the entire group about ROTC, explaining that junior ROTC begins in high school. College ROTC programs, like the Wolfpack Battalion, include training for things like becoming a paratrooper. Students were encouraged to ask questions.
“What’s your favorite color?” one student asked.
“Camouflage,” Bennett quipped, without missing a beat.
Assumption parent Erik Sedlock, a retired Army intelligence officer, also spoke to the students. He told them about military life and how special it is to be a military child. He also talked about his 19 years of marriage and his military service that caused his family to move 12 times. This forced his five children to learn to face challenges head on, he explained, as well as to be strong and to become independent. He described how this made his children and family stronger.
“I am thankful my three youngest children found a home at Assumption Academy,” he said.
The celebration ended with the presentation of St. Michael medallions to the military children and Sedlock. St. Michael the Archangel represents the leader of the angels and of the army of God.
Watch a video of the ceremony here on Assumption’s Facebook page.
Learn more about the Ohio Purple Star School designation here.
(Photos courtesy of Assumption Academy.)