The month of April provides an opportunity to recognize and honor the service of our youngest heroes: military children.  

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly signed a proclamation on Tuesday, April 1, designating April as the Month of the Military Child. “Purple Up! For Military Kids” day in Kansas was Wednesday, April 9.   

Kansas military youth are resilient and take pride in their family’s service to our country. They deserve our appreciation and support. Military families move between assignments. While a part of military life, reassignments and deployments can be difficult for the children of military families. The average military student will attend six to nine different school systems from kindergarten through the 12th grade.  

Wearing the color purple is a visible way to show support and thank military youth for their strength and sacrifices. Why purple? Purple symbolizes all branches of the military, as it is a combination of Army green, Coast Guard blue, Air Force blue, Marine red, Navy blue and Space Force blue. Across the nation, people are encouraged to show support for military and veteran children and to thank them for their strength and sacrifices.  

While April 9 has been designated “Purple Up!” in Kansas, districts can choose another day for the recognition if needed. Click on the image to the right to download a “Purple Up” poster to customize. Click here to download a printable PDF poster. 

Looking for ideas to recognize military children?  

• District staff should check with their school liaison for events in their local area (if located near a military base).  
• See the document attached below that has dozens of ideas for celebrating the Month of the Military Child. 
• Military Child Education Coalition Toolkit  

How many Kansas students have a parent currently in the military? 

Nearly 13,000 Kansas children have at least one parent currently serving in our nation’s active duty, reserve, and guard forces. These numbers don’t reflect youth indirectly connected in other ways who may have a sibling serving in the military, the stepchildren of military members, or children living with relatives while a parent in the military is deployed.  

Contact Dale Brungardt, dale.brungardt@ksde.gov, with questions.