Courtesy Photo | Students in the Military Student Assistance Group at Twentynine Palms High School take...... read more read more
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TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. – The Military Student Assistance Group is the first of its kind. MilSAG serves as a helping hand that reaches out to incoming military students and helps them feel welcomed in the Twentynine Palms community.
William Sumption Jr., a junior at Twentynine Palms High School, saw the need for student connections and took the initiative to found MilSAG.
“The Military Student Assistance Group is a student-run high school club directed towards helping new military students become better acquainted with the school and city,” said Sumption Jr. “Working together with local students, we put together information about what makes this city and school unique.”
The group aligns with the Headquarters Marine Corps service initiative “Youth Connections,” which supports opportunities consistent with the Total Force Fitness domains, explained Kristen Acquah, School Liaison Program Specialist with Headquarters Marine Corps, Marine & Family Programs Division.
“By helping military children connect with each other and their community, Youth Connections offers positive, social activities that help combat the risks of isolation, depression, and loneliness often associated with relocation,” said Acquah.
Twentynine Palms is home to the Marine Corps’ largest base, the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center. Marines and their families are typically stationed at the base for two to three years, resulting in frequent new beginnings.
“As a military student myself, I’ve moved a lot over the years,” said Sumption Jr. “Having moved seven times and gone to seven different schools, this club is something that I wish I had to support me, something that could’ve helped me get the lay of the land before I even got there.”
Children of service members often face unique challenges that other school-aged child may not. The frequent relocation often disrupts friendships, education, extracurricular activities and routines. Furthermore, the constant adjustment to new schools, curricula and social circles can lead to academic or social setbacks.
The club offers a supportive peer network that fosters camaraderie and fights the isolation that military students may feel, as well as prepare them to make the most of their time in Twentynine Palms.
“The MilSAG puts a student face to the transition process for other students coming here to Twentynine Palms High School,” said U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. William Sumption Sr., father of Will Sumption Jr., and executive officer of the Marine Corps Tactics and Operations Group, Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command, MCAGCC.
Sumption Sr. adds this organization provides insights straight from other students about the school.
“We experienced first-hand how difficult it can be to get some ground-truth information from the public facing websites for the school.
“It means a lot for a kid to hear it from another kid what the school lunches are like, how sports teams are run, and what life is like there at the school.”
Sumption Sr. believes that this is a powerful example of the next generation of Americans not just identifying a problem but also taking action for the benefit of others.
“This was Will’s idea from the start,” said Sumption Sr. “At the end of the last school year, he was talking about some of the things he learned about the school but wished he knew coming in.
“All I did was ask him what he wanted to do about it.”
According to Dr. Lorraine Miller-Nara, The Combat Center’s school liaison officer, Sumption Jr.’s efforts to establish MilSAG reflect the kind of youth-driven leadership the Twentynine Palms community hopes to see more of moving forward.
“I believe similar programs should be established among other schools and age groups,” said Miller-Nara.
A club for military children in other age groups can have their activities tailored to each respective developmental stage, Miller-Nara explained.
Sumption Jr., being a junior, will graduate from Twentynine Palms High School next year. He will not benefit from the club himself, but he knows others will.
“Knowing that makes me proud of him and the effort he’s pouring into it,” Sumption Sr. added. “It reminds me of the Greek proverb, ‘Blessed is he who plants trees under whose shade he will never sit’.”
The Marine Corps Community Services, School Liaison Program is a vital resource designed to support Marine Corps families as they navigate the challenges of transitioning between schools due to Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves and other military-related life changes. School Liaisons are subject matter experts on preK-12 education and local school communities and can help ensure a smooth educational experience for children of Marines. It acts as a bridge between the military community and local education systems.
| Date Taken: | 05.05.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.06.2025 18:45 |
| Story ID: | 497084 |
| Location: | TWENTYNINE PALMS, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 51 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, The Military Student Assistance Group eases transitions for military children, by Cpl Iris Gantt, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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