By Stacey Tinsley, Press-Tribune
In recognition of April being the Month of the Military Child, Benton Middle School in Benton hosted a district-wide Purple Up Day celebration on Friday, April 12, 2024.
During the event, Benton Middle School student Esme Sawtelle read her essay titled “Why We Celebrate the Military Child” aloud to all who attended. “I’m thankful I was able to move to a community that makes military families comfortable. When you see someone at school who was just stationed here, just stop them and talk to them. You’ll never know where they are coming from, where they are moving from, or what they have been through. But if you ask, you might find out that they moved from Alaska, California, Japan, or Utah.”
Purple Up Day is a student-led event recognizing the sacrifices made by the more than 2,000 military-connected children who attend school in the Bossier Parish School System.