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Conversations about the challenges military-connected kids face as they navigate multiple education systems from birth through high school.
Episodes
Tuesday Mar 12, 2024
Tuesday Mar 12, 2024
Leah King, President and CEO of United Way of Tarrant County, epitomizes what it means to be a servant leader. She shares her experiences growing up as a military child, learning how to adapt to change while embracing different perspectives, and ultimately, the importance of “making the place you choose to live better.”
This podcast is made possible by generous funding from the Air Force Officers’ Spouses’ Club of Washington DC. To learn more, visit https://www.afoscdc.com/.
Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.
Show Notes:
United Way of Tarrant County
https://www.unitedwaytarrant.org/
Unstoppable Women
https://www.nbcdfw.com/about-nbc-5/community/unstoppable-women-leah-m-king/3222490/
Bio:
Leah M. King, CFRE
President and CEO
United Way of Tarrant County
Leah M. King serves as President and CEO of United Way of Tarrant County, a leading nonprofit organization that has worked to improve the lives of those in Tarrant County and throughout North Texas for 100 years. In her role, Leah is responsible for leadership and vision development of the organization as well as fiscal oversight, growing financial support, developing processes and new initiatives, facilitating cross-departmental and partner collaboration, and promoting a positive, multi-cultural environment.
During Leah’s time as CEO, United Way of Tarrant County has invested tens of millions of dollars in the Tarrant County community through direct service programming, volunteer efforts, donor designations, agency allocations, and the distribution of federal and state grants. In the last two years, United Way of Tarrant County has continued to increase the number of people supported, which swelled to nearly one quarter of the county’s population during the pandemic.
Prior to her appointment as president and CEO in November 2019, Leah served as executive vice president and Chief Operating Officer of United Way of Tarrant County. In this role, she helped define the strategic vision and direction for United Way’s annual giving campaigns, donor relations, community investment, volunteer engagement and the Day of Action program, a rally for the community to support those with the highest needs. With Leah’s leadership, United Way of Tarrant County is focused today on addressing significant challenges facing Tarrant County residents including community health, community response, financial literacy, and education and learning. Leah is a founding member of the United Way of Tarrant County’s Women United group and has served as its Women’s Fund development committee chair.
As a community advocate, Leah is an elected official and serves as president of the board of directors at the Tarrant Regional Water District. She is a board member at the Fort Worth Club, Baylor All Saints Hospital, and T3 (Tarrant To & Through) and United Ways of Texas. She also is an active member of the Fort Worth (TX) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated. Additionally, she serves on the President’s Advisory Council for Texas Wesleyan University and the Texas A&M Community Engagement Advisory Committee.
Since 2020, she has been named by Fort Worth Magazine as one of the Top 400 of Fort Worth’s Most Influential People. She also was recognized with the 2022 Opal Lee Trailblazer Award by Unity Unlimited, Inc. Leah currently resides in Fort Worth with her husband, Barry.
Tuesday Mar 05, 2024
Tuesday Mar 05, 2024
The MCEC Call for the Arts program invites military-connected children from all over the world, representing every branch of service, to share interpretations through art of what it means to be a military-connected child. In this podcast, I spoke with one of the 2023 Call for the Arts high school winners: Reagan. Her artistic expressions of herself and her life as a military child tell an incredible story.
This podcast is made possible by generous funding from the Air Force Officers’ Spouses’ Club of Washington DC and Keesler Spouses’ Club. To learn more, visit https://www.afoscdc.com/ and http://www.keeslerspousesclub.org/.
Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.
Show Notes:
Calling all artists, grades K-12: The 2024 Call for the Arts contest is OPEN. Good luck to every budding artist, we look forward to being amazed. See contest guidelines and link to entry form on our website:
https://www.militarychild.org/programs/the-call-for-the-arts
Resources:
Book: Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World
Author: Penelope Bagieu
United Through Reading
https://unitedthroughreading.org/
Bio:
Reagan is a senior at Flour Bluff High School. While her mother has retired after 20 years of service, Reagan still fondly remembers the days visiting her at work and reading the books she sent from overseas. She's currently president of her school's National Art Honor Society, and treasurer for Thespian Troupe 4053. Reagan is also active in the National Honor Society, as well as in Mock Trial as her team's courtroom artist. She loves exploring different avenues of art- painting, writing, and acting are some of her favorite pastimes! She is excited to pursue a career in the animation industry after she graduates.
Tuesday Feb 27, 2024
Tuesday Feb 27, 2024
Historically Black Colleges and Universities have a history and legacy dating back hundreds of years. Dr. Cortez Dial discusses the foundation of HBCUs, the opportunities they have provided Black Americans, and their impact on America’s higher education system.
This podcast is made possible by generous funding from the Air Force Officers’ Spouses’ Club of Washington DC. To learn more, visit https://www.afoscdc.com/
Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.
Show Notes:
Resources:
White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities
FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Highlights a Record of Championing Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
HBCU Connect
Bio:
Over a twenty-nine-year career with the Department of the Army (DA), Mr. Cortez K. Dial has held challenging positions in Human Resources, Professional Development, and Education with increasing executive responsibility. His career has been characterized by key assignments in personnel management, personnel services, and the formulation of programs, policy, professional development, and teaching. In his last military position as The Director of Family Programs, he was responsible for the formal education, development, and preparation of 17 (colonel and civilian equivalent) students for the broad responsibilities of future senior leadership in the Department of Defense, Joint, or combined organizations within the federal government. As a seminar leader (faculty member) at the United States Army War College, he prepared and presented a graduate-level core curriculum focusing on command, leadership, management, ethics, equal opportunity (EO), equal employment opportunity (EEO), diversity, and decision making at strategic levels. He also served as a US Army War College point of contact for appropriate government agencies, private organizations, and educational institutions in the areas of human resources, family education, family support and service programs, along with personnel management, diversity management and human relations. For these areas of concentration, he was the Army War College liaison with the Joint Staff, Department of Army (DA), Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), Personnel Command (PERSCOM), Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute (DEOMI), and the Soldier Support Institute (SSI). Lastly, he was the officer in charge of the annual three-day trip to Washington D.C. for over 350 senior military officers, International Fellows, and DA Civilians with the mission and organizational goal of gaining first-hand knowledge of executive and strategic leadership in government as they visited over seventy-five Members of Congress and more than fifty different departments, embassies, and agencies.
He continued his professional development with formal training, membership in societies, and participating in Department of Defense (DoD)-sponsored forums addressing Human Resources and Professional Development. He is a graduate of the 2002 Pennsylvania Education Leadership and Policy Centers Fellowship Program while continuing to be a guest lecturer on Human Resource Policy and Organizational Culture. On April 5, 2003, he gave an extensive presentation to Senators, Bill Frist, George Allen, Rick Santorum, and Jim Kyl on changing organizational culture. He regularly lectures and facilitates workshops on diversity and organizational culture at The Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute and he was one of the editors of the chapter on “Civilian Personnel” found in the U.S. Army War College publication, How the Army Runs. Additionally, he published two articles describing organizational culture: “Mentoring: A Road Paved with Good Intentions,” and “One Team, One Fight.” He is a recipient of the Army’s Legion of Merit Award for distinguished service in the human resource field as Deputy Chief of Staff Personnel, Eight
United States Army. On August 10th, 2003, he became the Director of Residence Life at Virginia State University, was promoted to Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs in 2004. For the next nine years he served as the Presidents Chief of Staff before becoming an Associate Professor in the Mass Communication Department in the fall of 2014, retiring in July of 2017.
Tuesday Feb 20, 2024
Tuesday Feb 20, 2024
Major General, U.S. Army (Retired) Michael Harrison shares his personal experiences and stories from attending an HBCU to an impressive 34 years of military service and beyond. His journey illustrates a life of service and giving back to the community.
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Mahatma Gandhi
This podcast is made possible by generous funding from the Hickam Officers’ Spouses' Club. To learn more, visit https://hickamosc.wildapricot.org/.
Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.
Show Notes:
Bio:
Major General, U.S. Army (Retired) Michael T. Harrison, Sr. was born at Fort Eustis, VA and raised in Surry County, VA where both his paternal and maternal families trace their lineage back seven generations. He is a proud husband, father, grandfather, and soldier. Harrison served in the U.S. Army in CONUS & OCONUS for 34 years retiring in 2014 as a Major General. During his active-duty years, he led and commanded military units from the Lieutenant to Major General level in peace and war. Since active-duty retirement, he has led an international security company and worked as a consultant for an information technology consulting firm where he coached and mentored a political appointee at the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development. He has also served as a contractor for the Department of African Affairs in the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC.
He currently spends his time following his love: coaching and mentoring young men and women in and out of the military. He is very active in his community where he leads a Feeding Homeless Families project for the Williamsburg Rotary Club and serves on the Legal Redress Committee for the York James City Williamsburg NAACP. He is a life member of Disabled Veterans of America, the Surry Historical Society, the Military Officers Association of America, and the Howard University Alumni Association.
He is the recipient of several awards and decorations to include the U.S. Army’s Distinguished Service Medal, the Bronze Star, the Order of the Rising Sun Award presented by the Government of Japan, the Order of Bahrain Award (Class III) presented by the Emir of Bahrain and the Williamsburg, Virginia Rotary District 7600 Foundation Service Award.
Tuesday Feb 13, 2024
Tuesday Feb 13, 2024
Understanding the diverse needs of military-connected families of color is crucial in creating a sense of belonging and a welcoming environment. In this podcast, we explore the unique perspective of a spouse and mother from her personal experiences within the military community. We hope to bring awareness and understanding to such an important topic.
This podcast is made possible by generous funding from the. To learn more, visit Ramstein Enlisted Spouses’ Association, https://www.resa-rab.com/.
Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.
Show Notes:
Bio:
Attiyya Ingram is a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She graduated, with honors, from Hampton University with a B.S. degree in Accounting. As a committed servant leader, Attiyya prioritizes volunteering wherever she goes and strives to make a positive difference. Professionally, Attiyya is an entrepreneur focused on helping members of the military community become financially fit. Her proudest titles are the spouse of an active duty Marine and mother to three young adults. She has first-hand experience of both the challenges and rewards of military life!
Tuesday Feb 06, 2024
Tuesday Feb 06, 2024
We are revisiting an episode where Lucy discusses her experiences as a military child and how she navigates being the new kid at school (again!). Lucy is also the Middle School Spotlight Winner in the MCEC 2023 Call for the Arts contest, for her beautiful song, #Life of a Military Kid, and talks about her love of music, and how life inspires her songwriting.
This podcast is made possible by generous funding from the Daughters of the American Revolution. To learn more, visit https://www.dar.org/.
Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.
Show Notes:
Calling all artists, grades K-12: The 2024 Call for the Arts contest is NOW OPEN. Good luck to every budding artist, we look forward to being amazed. See contest guidelines and link to entry form on our website:
https://www.militarychild.org/programs/the-call-for-the-arts
Bio:
Lucy is a 13-year-old 8th grader at Horace O’Bryant Middle School. Lucy is a proud military kid and has lived in St. Charles, Missouri; Jacksonville, FL; Rota, Spain; and Key West, FL. Lucy loves all things musical and plays the ukulele, guitalele, and guitar. She will be joining her school’s jazz band this year. Lucy is a member of her school’s dance team and helps her coach with choreography. She loves all things musical and can often be found singing, dancing, and writing songs for hours at a time. Lucy is a member of the National Junior Honor Society and maintains excellent grades. She is a loving sister, a kind friend, and a wonderful daughter!
Resources:
Military and Family Life Counseling
https://www.militaryonesource.mil/non-medical-counseling/military-and-family-life-counseling/
Tuesday Jan 30, 2024
Tuesday Jan 30, 2024
Operation Homefront is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to build strong, stable, and secure military families. Jenny Valderas discusses how their programs and resources serve the entire family… because when military families are strong, our communities are strong, and America is strong.
This podcast is made possible by generous funding from the Cannon Spouses’ Club. To learn more, visit https://www.cannonspousesclub.org/.
Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.
Show Notes:
Resources:
Operation Homefront
https://operationhomefront.org/
Military Child of the Year Award
https://operationhomefront.org/military-child-of-the-year/
Bio:
Jenny Valderas is Operation Homefront’s Senior Director of Family Support Services. She has worked with the organization for more than a decade and in her current role, Valderas oversees the planning and execution of programs that address the unique needs and challenges faced by America’s military families, including the delivery of school supplies and holiday meals, and celebrating expectant parents and exceptional military children.
Beyond her professional capacity, Valderas is also a military spouse, providing a distinct personal connection to the military community and Operation Homefront’s mission to create strong, stable, and secure military families.
Valderas received a Bachelor of Arts from George Mason University.
Tuesday Jan 23, 2024
Tuesday Jan 23, 2024
A lot is asked of military families, and sometimes a simple form can feel like a violation of privacy. Understanding why information is requested and how that information is used – and protected – is critical to ensure resources and benefits reach those they are intended for. Recently, MCEC’s Parent Webinars featured What is MSI and Impact Aid. This podcast recaptures Nikki’s conversation with Lori Phipps and Nanette Pigg, subject matter experts on these two data collectors.
This podcast is made possible by generous funding from the Texas Education Agency. To learn more, visit https://tea.texas.gov/.
Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.
Show Notes:
Resources:
Military Student Identifier
https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/other-services/school-support
Impact Aid Program
https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-formula-grants/impact-aid-program/
National Association of Federally Impacted Schools
https://www.nafisdc.org/impact-aid-resources/about-impact-aid/
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
https://www.ed.gov/essa?src=rn
School Liaison programs
https://installations.militaryonesource.mil/search?program-service%3D12%2Fview-by%3DALL
Military Family Life Counseling (MFLC)
https://www.militaryonesource.mil/non-medical-counseling/military-and-family-life-counseling/
MIC3
Bios:
Lori A. Phipps is Chief of the Department of the Air Force School Liaison Program Division at the HQ Air Force Services Center (AFSVC), HQ Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center (AFIMSC), Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. She is responsible for providing managerial and operational oversight of the School Liaison Program, which encompasses PreK-12 Education, Public Schools on Military Installations (PSMI), and the Military & Family Life Counseling Program (MFLC). In addition, she oversees the education, development, and training program for the School Liaison Program Managers, $2M Educational Community Outreach programs, and 71 PSMIs. Her program provides support to over 770K military-connected families, 34K schools, community stakeholders, and installation support services for Commanders, Schools, and installation personnel across all Air Force Commands, the U.S. Space Force, the Air Force Reserve, and the Air National Guard as well as all joint service component families. Division is an advocate at the State/National Level for legislation benefiting military-connected students, dedicated to ensuring equitable access to quality education, support services, and resources.
Prior to her current position, Mrs. Phipps served as the Joint Base San Antonio – Lackland School Liaison Program Manager supporting over 35,000 military-connected students in forty-two school districts. Her efforts resulted in legislation to ensure the state was in compliance with the Military Interstate Compact as well as early registration and homeschool student support. In addition, she has served as a Youth Specialist, providing youth development capabilities through a system of quality, available, and affordable programs.
Prior to her Civilian positions, Mrs. Phipps served on active duty in the U.S. Air Force. During her active-duty career, she served as a Security Forces member and was selected as the first Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) Instructor for the Air Force. She was appointed the Installation Crime Prevention Manager and held other leadership positions.
Nanette Pigg began her career in Child and Youth Services in 1998, she has worked in a variety of roles in child development and education. When she first heard about the School Liaison program, she decided that was the job she had been training for her whole career. Nanette served as the SLO for Fort Cavazos for three years before moving to Installation Management Command in San Antonio. In her current role, she serves as the School Program Manager with operational oversight of the Army’s School Liaison Officer program. Nanette is a proud Army spouse, she and her husband Barry raised 3 daughters who experienced firsthand the challenges of transitioning to new schools every few years. They have 8 grandchildren, 2 great-grandsons, and two German Shepard’s.
Tuesday Jan 16, 2024
Tuesday Jan 16, 2024
Dr. Becky Porter discusses meeting the needs of military-connected families through programs and initiatives such as our Military Student Consultants, and advocacy of Purple Star Schools through the new and popular MCEC 360 Summits. We also look ahead to what the new year holds.
This podcast is made possible by generous funding from the Fort Gregg-Adams Spouses’ Club. To learn more, visit https://www.gaspousesclub.com/.
Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.
Show Notes:
Resources:
MCEC 360 Summits
The MCEC 360 Summit is a community-wide, multi-faceted event that brings insight and understanding for the unique challenges and needs of military-connected students. The 360 model includes components for students, parents, and youth-serving professionals and is tailored to the needs of each community. https://www.militarychild.org/360summits
Military Student Consultants
Military Student Consultants (MSCs) are highly specialized education professionals who provide personalized concierge support directly to students, parents, or professionals who serve military-connected families. An MSC personally responds to every phone call or submission on our MCEC website at https://www.militarychild.org/MSC
Professional Learning Community ECHOs
Find a community of learners to help you support the needs of military-connected kids using the Project ECHO® model. Our Purple Star Readiness ECHOs are being held now through May 2024 and meet monthly online. The benefits of ECHO include collaboration, idea sharing, and problem-solving with subject matter experts and peers. Join a cohort today at https://www.militarychild.org/purplestarschools#echo
Bio:
Dr. Becky Porter joined MCEC® as the President and CEO in 2019 following her retirement from active duty service with the U.S. Army.
Becky is a 1983 Distinguished Military Graduate from the University of Washington and holds a Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in clinical psychology from Fielding Graduate University. She earned her Master of Arts in counseling psychology from Chapman University and a Master of Science in national security and strategic studies from the National War College. She also earned an executive certificate in nonprofit management from the Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy in 2020.
She is a board-certified clinical health psychologist, a fellow of the American Psychological Association, and a member of the Order of Military Medical Merit. Her awards and recognition include: The Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society for Military Psychology, the Legion of Merit (3 awards), the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and the Meritorious Service Medal (6 awards). Additionally, she also holds the Army Surgeon General’s “A” Proficiency Designator as recognition of her significant contributions to the U.S. Army Medical Department.
Becky’s military career spanned more than 30 years, and she served in all three components of the U.S. Army with the Washington National Guard, the U.S. Army Reserves, and on active duty. She retired at the rank of colonel. She is a Veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and former special assistant to the U.S. Army’s 34th Chief of Staff, Gen. Eric Shinseki.
Her assignments included: Germany; Tripler Army Medical Center, Hawaii; the Pentagon; the United States Military Academy; Walter Reed Army Medical Center; and the Joint Task Force National Capital Region Medical, Bethesda, Md.
She commanded the Dunham U.S. Army Health Clinic, Carlisle, Pa.; the DiLorenzo TRICARE Health Clinic at the Pentagon; and Public Health Command Europe.
Becky and her husband John, also a retired U.S. Army officer, live near Fort Cavazos, Texas.
Tuesday Jan 09, 2024
Tuesday Jan 09, 2024
MCEC’s 2023 Call for the Arts received hundreds of entries from across the globe and every branch of service, with creative expressions of strength, bravery, pride, and community. In this podcast, hear my conversation with three of last year’s Elementary School Winners: Everleigh, Isaac, and Annabelle. Seeing and hearing the world from the perspective of a child is inspiring and will brighten your day. Congratulations once again to all the 2023 CFA winners!
This podcast is made possible by generous funding from the Fort Gregg-Adams Spouses' Club. To learn more, visit https://www.gaspousesclub.com/.
Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.
Show Notes:
Calling all artists, grades K-12: The 2024 Call for the Arts contest is NOW OPEN. Good luck to every budding artist, we look forward to being amazed. See contest guidelines and link to entry form on our website:
https://www.militarychild.org/programs/the-call-for-the-arts
Bios:
Everleigh is 8 years old and in the 3rd grade. Her dad is in the Army, and she has one little brother named Killian. Her hobbies are drawing, painting, listening to music, relaxing, playing video games and watching TV. She recently moved to South Korea in November, and this was her first time moving.
Isaac is 10 years old and in the 5th grade. His dad is in the Navy. He has two siblings: a 7-year-old sister Elaina and a 12-year-old brother Lucas. His hobbies are drawing and sketching, reading, soccer, basketball, playing outside, exploring where he lives and new places, building historical dioramas with Legos, being with friends and family, learning, history, playing piano, and learning alto saxophone. He has moved 3 times.
Annabelle is 9 years old living in Germany with her parents, 6-year-old sister Leanna, and two dogs. Her dad is active-duty Army currently stationed in Bavaria. Annabelle’s favorite things are drawing, soccer, tomatoes, and wearing shorts. She has moved 4 times, living in Georgia, Tennessee, Nevada, and Germany. Tennessee has been her favorite!