Students at Arthur W Edwards Elementary in Havelock are beginning an exciting new adventure thanks to the support of MCAS Cherry Point. The partnership between Craven County Schools and Cherry Point has a common goal to help our students become resilient when faced with challenges. To reach this common goal, the Anchored4LIfe program has recently been adopted by Arthur Edwards Elementary. This will give students the necessary tools and skills to manage difficult transitions such as braving parent deployment. The school of more than 600 students has over 70% military dependents. Being a child in the military comes with a variety of challenges. The Anchored4Life program was created to prepare students for these challenges. This unique program was originally developed by the Trevor Romain Company and the United States Navy to help young dependents. The framework was designed to work within schools to form connections, help with self esteem, ease transitions, and build leadership qualities not only for military dependents, but for all students.
Arthur Edwards recently received specialized training to learn how to implement the Anchored4Life program. The school has two teacher ambassadors that provide assistance in this student lead initiative. The ambassadors guide 6 student Team Leaders to run the program for the school. The 4th and 5th grade Team Leaders chosen for AWE this school year are; Abigail Carlow, William Amaker, Mylie Finch, Lilly Ferry, Jillian Moses, and Alex Pineiro. These Leaders are in charge of all elements of the program. They serve as the welcome committee and give school tours when new students enroll. Team Leader Lilly Ferry commented that “this is key to making students feel important.” The Team Leaders meet on a monthly basis to discuss school issues, develop community service projects, and determine what fellow students need to help with transition and become resilient kids. As a Leader for the school, a key responsibility is the distribution of the Anchored4Life kits. These kits address difficult topics of military life such as deployment, reuniting with a deployed parent, and moving to a new school. Team Leaders identify students who are in need of the kits and then take time to sit with the student and explain the contents to create a connection and lessen anxiety. These kits include informational and comfort items such as a teddy bear named Patches, family information booklets, and educational videos.
Along with the 6 Team Leaders, each classroom also has 2 Crew Members to help students on a more personal classroom level to ensure that the students are adapting well to their particular situation. When asked about the new program Team Leader William Amaker said “Our goal is to make students feel welcomed, we want them to know they are not alone.”
The implementation of this new program will ensure that the military students that attend Arthur Edwards Elementary will have the resources they need. The new resources will help address individual emotional and social needs while providing life skills for dealing with obstacles now and in the future. To learn more about Anchored4Life visit https://www.anchored4life.com.
