BIS students give a shout out to their military parent or caregiver as part of Month of the Military Child. (Photo courtesy Bourne Public Schools) 
Siblings Kailani Webster, grade 3 and Cortez Webster, grade 4 are all smiles at the Month of the Military Child breakfast. Their father has been in the Army for 12 years. Their mother, Jaime Tavares, loves the dandelion ‘Purple Up’ t-shirts, saying that ‘military kids have to be just like dandelions and bloom where they are planted.’ (Photo courtesy Bourne Public Schools) 
BIS students David and Lucas Grimes, grade 5, celebrate “Purple Up” as part of Month of the Military Child. (Photo courtesy Bourne Public Schools) 
BIS fifth grader Noah Deisher is proud to be a military kid. (Photo courtesy Bourne Public Schools)
BOURNE — Bourne Intermediate School spent the month of April celebrating their military connected students through the Month of the Military Child initiative.
Throughout the month, students in grades 3 through 5 who have a parent or caregiver as an Active Duty or Reserve military member were celebrated for their daily sacrifices and challenges related to being part of a military family.
Put on by the non-profit Military Child Education Coalition, Month of the Military Child is recognized each April by schools across the country.
Over the course of the month, BIS students learned about military families and the sacrifices they make, including interesting facts about military service (such as California being the state with the most military children, a fact shared by Kailani Webster, whose father has been in the army for 12 years). BIS’ military-connected students took to the airwaves each morning throughout April to read facts like Kailani’s about being a “mil-kid” over the school-wide PA system.
On Wednesday, April 27, the entire school community was encouraged to “Purple Up” for its military connected students. Staff wore purple t-shirts specially designed to show their support for their military connected students. Classmates throughout the school could be seen wearing purple in solidarity.
The 26 military-connected students at the school were also honored at a breakfast in the BIS media center. During this breakfast, students connected with other military kids and were presented with t-shirts and certificates of appreciation by Principal Jane Norton.
“Bourne is proud to partner with our military connected families through the special relationship that our community shares with Joint Base Cape Cod,” Superintendent Kerri Anne Quinlan-Zhou said. “These activities are a great way to recognize our service men and women as well as their amazing children.”
Courtney Grimes, mother of fifth-graders David and Lucas Grimes, is especially proud that BIS honors military students. Their father, Patrick, a 13-year member of the Coast Guard, previously spent 13 months overseas, which resulted in missing holidays, birthdays, and other important events.
“Military Child Month is a wonderful way to acknowledge and celebrate not only my children but all service members’ children as we say thank you for their strength, sacrifice and resilience while their parent(s) serve their country,” Mrs. Grimes said.
Fifth-grader Noah Deisher was all smiles during the breakfast celebration. His dad has been a Coast Guard member for 19 years.
“Being a part of the celebration reminded me how proud I am to be a military kid,” Deisher said. “It was really fun to be with other kids like me.”
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