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Symposium Series
April 25, 2026 | Hyatt Regency Crystal City at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport | Arlington, Virginia
Inside the Military Child World Expo
Advancing the Future of the Military Child Well-Being
The Military Child World Expo Symposium Series brings together experts, educators, caregivers, policymakers, and youth leaders for solution-driven discussions on the most urgent issues facing military-connected children and families today.
Each symposium is designed to:
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Share research, strategies, and promising practices
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Foster cross-sector collaboration
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Produce actionable insights to strengthen support systems worldwide
These high-impact sessions are the policy and practice heart of MCWE 2026 helping shape the future of health, education, and resilience for the military child.
Family Resilience & Caregiving
The Weight We Carry. The Love We Lead With.
Military-connected children and teens often take on roles that are rarely named, but deeply felt:
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Caring for siblings during deployments
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Supporting a parent through transition or recovery
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Translating emotion or culture within the home
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Holding steadiness for the family during change
This symposium reframes caregiving as leadership, not invisible labor.
We gather to:
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Recognize the emotional and practical labor youth carry
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Share real stories of care and resilience across the family system
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Develop community and school-based pathways to support, credit, and honor youth caregivers
This track introduces Turn Care Into Credit (TCCSH) and the Torch of Care Recognition Pathway, offering families and schools ways to acknowledge care as service and leadership.
Care is not extra responsibility. Care is wisdom. Care is leadership.
Mental Health & Wellness
We Heal in Community, Not Alone.
Research shows that many military teens report:
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Lower emotional well-being
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Difficulty managing stress related to change and uncertainty
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Feelings of isolation or being misunderstood
(Blue Star Families MFLS, NMFA Teen Survey findings)
This symposium removes stigma, pressure, and performance, making room for:
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Emotional grounding practices
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Collective breathing + body awareness
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Gentle conversation about stress and identity
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Moments of shared presence, without explanation required
No one is asked to “be strong.” No one is required to speak. This is a space to exhale. Strength is not silence. Strength is staying present, together.
Policy & Community Leadership
When We Say “Support,” What Do We Mean?
This symposium connects ** lived experience + leadership + long-term change.**
We begin with:
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Youth and caregivers sharing what support has actually meant in real life, and when it has fallen short.
Then we move to:
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Community organizations, base programs, nonprofits, and policymakers reflecting and committing to real, measurable next steps.
This is where we introduce:
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The Promise We Carry Act
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Torch of Care Recognition
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A Shared Community Leadership Statement
that each organization can sign and carry home.
Policy is not paperwork. Policy is how we treat each other.
Education & School Transitions
Belonging is the First Curriculum.
Military-connected students move between 6 and 9 times, often across states, countries, languages, and cultures. Every move requires:
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Rebuilding identity
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Starting friendships over
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Re-learning school culture
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Adjusting expectations and support
But belonging should not be a question mark every time a child walks into a classroom.
This symposium brings together:
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Purple Star schools
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DoDEA educators
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Public school counselors + administrators
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Youth with lived transition experience
Together, we co-design what welcoming, culturally-aware schools look and feel like.
Deliverable:
A School Belonging Activation Kit, schools can take home and use.
Schools are not only where we learn.
Event Details
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Date: Saturday, April 25, 2026
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Location: Hyatt Regency Crystal City (inside the MCWE 2026 Expo)
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Session Times: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Concurrent sessions throughout the day)
How To Participate
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Symposium access is included with MCWE Expo registration
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Seats are limited, early registration strongly encouraged
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Call for presenters, facilitators, and panelists opens December 1, 2025
Contact:
Why It Matters
The MCWE Symposium Series turns silos into systems, uniting voices from health, education, mental health, and caregiving into one coordinated platform.
Together, we are building the roadmap for future ready military children.