.png)
Schools & Educators
Schools Are Where Belonging Begins.
For military-connected students, school is often the first place they must learn to rebuild identity, community, and stability, sometimes again and again.
Whether your students move once or ten times, your school plays a central role in how they understand who they are and where they belong.
The Military Child World Expo is designed to support you, not replace your work.We gather to:
-
Celebrate the identity of military-connected students
-
Strengthen school-based belonging practices
-
Connect schools across states, districts, and installationsShare youth-led insight and educator expertise
-
Provide tools, frameworks, and community partnerships that travel with students
Schools are not only where we learn.They are where we learn who we are, if we are welcomed.
Why Schools Participate
Educators, counselors, and district leaders attend because:
-
Belonging increases student stability and confidence
-
Identity continuity supports mental well-being
-
Youth caregivers need recognition, not invisibility
-
Transitions require community preparation, not resilience pressure
-
You should not have to do this work alone
MCWE 2026 exists to connect what works, share wisdom, and lift the community around the child.
School & Educator Opportunities at MCWE
Send Student Delegates
Schools may send:
-
Two youth delegates
-
One school staff member or counselor
(Military installations may send internationally as well)
This delegation:
-
Participates in the Promise of the Six Youth Summit
-
Represents your school’s commitment to belonging
-
Carries stories and solutions back to your campus
[ Request to Send Delegates ]
Participate in the Symposium Series
Educators help shape conversations on:
-
Family resilience & caregiving
-
Mental wellness & identity support
-
School belonging and transition practices
-
Policy & community leadership
You will:
-
Hear lived youth experiences directly (not filtered)
-
Co-create belonging strategies and reflection tools
-
Leave with a School Belonging Activation Kit
[ Register as an Educator or School Leader ]
Join the Purple Star & DoDEA Recognition Gathering
A dedicated meet-up for:
-
Purple Star campuses
-
School Liaison Officers (SLOs)
-
DoDEA leadership & educators
-
District transition coordinators
Purpose:
-
Share practices
-
Build alignment
-
Strengthen the national belonging network
Bring Classrooms to the Expo
The Expo floor and Pavilion offer:
-
Cultural creativity labs
-
Interactive reflection spaces
-
Youth marketplace entrepreneurship showcases
-
Live performances
-
Storytelling installations
-
Human rights & identity art experiences
-
Sneaker Dripping™ Design Competition Gallery
-
And, so much more...
This is not a field trip. This is identity-building in motion.
School Belonging Activation Kit
(Take-Home Toolkit)
Every attending school receives:
-
Student Belonging Mapping Exercise
-
Youth Voice Conversation Guides
-
Transition Welcome Protocol Template
-
Family + School Cultural Identity Resources
-
TCCSH Caregiving Recognition Framework
-
Staff Meeting Reflection Cards
This allows the work to continue after the Expo.
[ Send Student Delegates ]
[ Register as Educator / Counselor ]
[ Inquire About Purple Star / DoDEA Gathering ]
[ Download Pre-Visit Classroom Conversation Guide (PDF) ]
Educator Reflection Statement
You don’t have to hold every student’s journey alone.
We hold it together.