Purple Star

Cliff Williams / TPI Balloons were released to help celebrate Stanhope Elmore High School’s Purple Star program.

The Peraltas are military through and through. And so are their children.

Like most military families they have moved around. For sophomore Manny Peralta it has been five different moves over the years. Now he is at Stanhope Elmore High School leading the school’s Purple Star Program, a program his sister helped create and led a few short years ago.

Purple Star

Cliff Williams / TPI Manny Peralta, right, helps serve snacks during a Purple Star School event last week at Stanhope Elmore High School.

“It’s been great to see him carry on the program,” Manny’s father Roberto Peralta said. “It’s a great school with great support for everyone, especially the military children.”

The Purple Star Program was created to help military children transition as they move from community to community and school to school. At Stanhope Elmore it is also woven into the JROTC program. SEHS principal Ewell Fuller sees the benefits of having so many connections to the military as every male including himself has served in the military.

“I’m extremely proud of the two programs,” Fuller said. “They do so much for our military children, the school and the community.”

The Peraltas are proud to see the program continue and to serve military children.

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“It's just great to have this kind of support around your children,” Roberto said. “It just embraces them. The community is great. The school is great. It gives us happiness that they're just instantly accepted.”

Senior Zoie Holmes is a military child though she didn’t move around much. Her parents retired in 2011 to raise Holmes and her two sisters. But she still understands the sacrifices military families and the children make.

“Their stories and values they have instilled in me have left a lasting impact,” Holmes said. “Their stories have taught me resilience, adaptability and bravery. As military children, we often face unique challenges, but we also gain a profound understanding of what it means to serve for a cause that is much greater than ourselves.”

Holmes said military children and the Purple Star Program are part of a special community.

“We all understand the true meaning of sacrifice,” Holmes said. “Our ability to face adversity with grace and support your families through every challenge is truly commendable.”