At J. Glenn Edwards Elementary School (JGE), the rhythm of the school year carries a little differently than in many places. There are the usual markers, first days, field trips, report cards. But layered in between are hellos and goodbyes that come more often, quieter moments of adjustment, and a deep, intentional effort to make every child feel like they belong, even if only for a little while.
JGE was the first elementary school in Lee County to be awarded the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s prestigious “Purple Star Award.” The designation is a symbol of welcoming, military-friendly practices that demonstrate a strong commitment to supporting the unique challenges of military students and families.
For Emily Mize, Principal at J. Glenn Edwards, and her military support committee, that mission is personal and constant.
“There are about 50 active duty military families currently at JGE,” Mize explains, a number that represents not just enrollment data, but dozens of stories in motion. These are families arriving, leaving, and starting over again.
Those students walk into classrooms carrying more than backpacks. They bring with them experiences shaped by deployment cycles, long-distance goodbyes, and the challenge of building friendships all over again in a new and unfamiliar place. At JGE, the staff has made it their purpose to meet those experiences with compassion and understanding.
One of the most important figures in the military family support structure at the school is Edna Stephens. She serves as the school’s Military Family Life Counselor. For twelve years, she has been a steady presence in a world that often isn’t.
Stephens leads weekly groups where students can talk about things many of their peers might never fully understand - deployment, transitions, grief, and the complicated emotions that come with them. In those sessions, students are able to build confidence, friendships, and perhaps most importantly, a realization that they are not alone.
“Those counseling services are integrated within the school. Any counseling the child and families receive are confidential,” Mize noted, emphasizing the heart of the program.
But support doesn’t stop with counseling.
Each April, the school comes alive in celebration of the Month of the Military Child. Families gather after school for an evening filled with food, laughter, and connection for an event organized by Stephens and the school’s military committee. It is more than just a celebration. The event is a recognition of resilience, a pause to honor children whose lives are shaped by service.
What sets JGE apart isn’t just access to resources, it is the intention behind everything that they do.
“We became a Purple Star School in response to the growing number of military families who join and transition from our community,” Mize says. “Supporting these families is something that truly lies at the heart of who we are.”
That designation, Purple Star School, is more than a title. It’s a promise.
“We are honored to serve families who serve our country,” she continues. “We wanted to ensure that every one of those students feels seen, supported, and celebrated the moment they walk through our doors.”
And the school staff has built systems to keep that promise.
What began three years ago as simple welcome letters has grown into something much larger. Now, students have access to structured support groups, family events, and a program known as Dandelion Troops, named for a flower that thrives wherever it lands.
“Our services and support for military families have grown both in scope and intentionality,” Mize explains. “Each year, we continue to refine our practices and expand our efforts to better serve the unique needs of our military-connected students.”
The growth is visible not just in programs, but in culture.
Walk through the halls of J. Glenn Edwards during a BINGO night or an ice cream social, and you’ll see it. Families talking, children laughing, forming the connections that build community and relationships that form the backbone of support each student and family need. These moments, intentionally created, help anchor students whose lives are often defined by movement.
“We’ve built strong relationships through events like BINGO night, karaoke, church partnerships, cookouts, and ice cream socials. We just really try to create a connection, a true sense of belonging,” Mize says.
Behind it all is a team effort.
“It all began three years ago with a clear vision,” she recalls. A military committee was formed. Educators, many of them with personal ties to the military themselves, came together to help build the program. They meet regularly, planning events, refining support systems, and ensuring that no student falls through the cracks.
But perhaps the most powerful impact isn’t found in programs or events. It happens in the quieter moments.
Mize described one of them that happened in a gathering of military-connected students. “We have created so many fun and engaging experiences at JGE, but one of the most powerful moments happens each year when our military-connected students come together.”
In that room, something shifts.
“They begin exchanging stories about the many places they’ve lived, the states and countries they have called home,” she explains. “It is in those conversations. Connections are formed naturally.”
Students who may have felt like outsiders suddenly find common ground. They recognize pieces of their own story in someone else’s.
“They realize they are not alone in their transitions and we really see a deep sense of belonging start to grow,” explains Mize.
For Mize and the team at JGE, those moments are everything.
“There is something incredibly special about sitting in that room and listening to their voices. Just hearing their stories, their resilience, and their pride is powerful,” she said.
At J. Glenn Edwards, students may come and go. Their journeys may take them across states or across oceans. But for however long they are at JGE, the goal is simple and unwavering.
“JGE may not be their last elementary school,” Mize says, “but we are committed to making it a meaningful experience while they are here.”
In a life defined by change, that kind of constant can mean everything.
