The Anchored4Life program is a unique program was originally developed by the Trevor Romain Company and the United States Navy to help young dependents. The framework was designed to work within schools to form connections, help with self esteem, ease transitions, and build leadership qualities not only for military dependents, but for all students.
Irving L Branch Elementary School became an A4L school in 2021 and received specialized training to learn how to implement the Anchored4Life program. The school has teacher ambassadors that provide assistance in this student lead initiative. The ambassadors guide student Team Leaders to run the program for the school. These Leaders are in charge of all elements of the program and they will serve as the welcome committee and give school tours when new students enroll. The Team Leaders meet on a monthly basis to discuss school issues, develop community service projects, and determine what fellow students need to help with transition and become resilient kids. As a Leader for the school, a key responsibility is the distribution of the Anchored4Life kits. These kits address difficult topics of military life such as deployment, reuniting with a deployed parent, and moving to a new school. Team Leaders identify students who are in need of the kits and then take time to sit with the student and explain the contents to create a connection and lessen anxiety. These kits include informational and comfort items such as a teddy bear named Patches, family information booklets, and educational videos. Along with the Team Leaders, each classroom also has Crew Members to help students on a more personal classroom level to ensure that the students are adapting well to their particular situation.
The implementation of this new program will ensure that the military students that attend Irving L Branch Elementary School will have the resources they need. The new resources will help address individual emotional and social needs while providing life skills for dealing with obstacles now and in the future. To learn more about Anchored4Life visit https://www.anchored4life.com.
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