Col. Abby Ruscetta, Tinker installation and 72nd Air Base Wing commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Christopher Gradel, 72nd ABW command chief, alongside Oklahoma Representative Nicole Miller and staff from the Oklahoma State Department of Education recognized Spring Creek Elementary as a designated military-friendly Purple Star School recently. There are more than 70 Spring Creek students with someone in their immediate family serving in the military. Team Tinker thanks the students and staff of Spring Creek for supporting and welcoming new military families to their school. Congratulations!

Tinker Air Force Base appreciates all of the 12 Purple Star Schools throughout Oklahoma for supporting military families.

The Purple Star program is designed to help schools respond to the educational and personal challenges military-connected children face during their transition to a new school and keep them on track to be college, workforce, and life-ready.

To learn more about the ongoing impact of the Purple Star program, visit https://oklahoma.gov/education/services/student-development/purple-star.html and https://militarychild.org/programs-and-initiatives/purple-star-schools/