Wheeling Park High School recently became the 4th school in Ohio County to receive the Purple Star Award. The West Virginia Department of Education states, “Purple Star Award recipients are schools and districts that have committed to providing dedicated support and services to students of military families. The Purple Star Award recognizes schools making a focused commitment to meet the needs of military-connected children by identifying a trained military family point of contact, linking to resources on their homepage, completing a minimum of two military support activities and submitting a localized plan of action. Their commitment provides a foundation for students of military families to develop productive, academic lives and to be a part of a supportive community.”
Triadelphia Middle School, Bethlehem Elementary School, and West Liberty Elementary School have previously applied for and received the honor.
In order to receive this designation, the school must identify a military contact person, and in this case, school counselor Jen Mathieu accepts that role. “We had an extensive application process, and I provided documentation of the activities we have at Wheeling Park High School that support both our military families and our students planning for enlistment,” she states.
Wheeling Park joins 270 schools in the state with this designation. More information on Common Ground, the military program that offers support and resources for military families in the school setting, can be found on both our county and state website.
Pictured are Adam and Jake Carman. Adam is a 2024 Wheeling Park High School graduate who joined two other siblings when he made the decision to enlist in the Army National Guard. His brother, Jake, a freshman, credits Adam with easing his transition to high school and being a great friend. Also pictured are Jen Mathieu, school counselor and military contact person, and Sgt. Andrea Gump.
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