VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Military dependents will attend between six and nine different schools from grades K-12. As an Army brat, I know that statistic to be true.
Virginia Beach schools have special programs to help military students adjust. One of those students is eighth-grader Claire Osuga.
"So being the new kid, it kinda is discouraging at the beginning of the year because you don't know anyone," Claire said.
Claire says she has moved seven times.
"I had my group of friends that I thought I was going to be friends with forever. And then, I heard I was moving and I was like, what? I just got settled into this group of friends and I don't want to leave. I've been the new kid since kindergarten, but because of Anchored For Life, I was able to easily get settled into the new year," she said.
Anchored For Life is a special program helping military dependents like Claire and fellow eighth-grader Tenley Rollings.
"Anchored For Life helped me meet Claire and friends. It's helped me meet new people," said Tenley.
The program aims to help military dependents not feel alone. Participants are paired with another student who tours them around the school and helps them get acquainted.
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Seventh-grader Aiyanna Gonzalez enjoys helping with the club.
"It really helps them find a new face and be familiar with the school so they're not lost when they're trying to find their classes," said Aiyanna.
Aiyanna shared a recent example: "So a new student, he came recently, like a couple of weeks ago, I'd say. So I just showed him around the school and asked him if he had any questions, but now I have a class with him, so I talk and see how it's been going."
Tenley, a Navy dependent and also a member of Anchored For Life, also makes an effort to be available to new students.
"If I notice they're alone or sitting by themselves, I'll go reach out to them and say, 'Hey how are you doing? Can I sit with you?'" said Tenley.
It's 11-year-old Noah Harris' first year participating in Anchored For Life. Noah says the program plays a crucial role in helping new students feel comfortable.
"If we didn't have this program, some students wouldn't feel like they're welcomed here," said Noah.
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One of the advisors for the program, Charmein Harris, says Anchored For Life serves a vital mission.
"All students have difficulties transitioning through any school, grade level, whatever," said Harris. "Military students, they face different challenges: parents being deployed for long periods of time, losing friends, having to figure out gaining new friends."
Seventh-grader Nina Rodriguez remembers how the program helped her when she first came to Salem Middle.
"I always tend to keep to myself a lot and bottle up a lot of emotions, so being here and having someone willing to help... you to be accustomed to the school no matter what, it's something that's really calming for me," said Nina.
Nina is now one of the Anchored For Life student ambassadors. They meet regularly in the cafeteria, and it's a mix of military dependents and civilian students.
Claire, a Navy dependent, enjoys helping other military-connected students adjust.
"I feel like it's a full circle moment... I know what it feels like for new students to come into the school year scared and not knowing what's ahead," said Claire. "Me being able to kind of comfort them and ease their nerves at the beginning of the year feels like I'm fulfilling what others did before for me."
