culture study: students of military families at timberline high school

CULTURE STUDY

Military Families

The Lacey Community

Timberline High School is located in Lacey, Washington.

Near our state capital, Olympia. The region is a rapidly growing

suburban area. Residents work in state, local

and county government, agriculture, forestry, industry, and on two nearby military bases.

The city of Lacey has a population of 31,225

The Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater metropolitan area has a population of approximately 245,000.

The Timberline Community

Comprehensive High School

Grades 9-12 1,665 students One of three

comprehensive high schools in the North Thurston School district.

Timberline High School Demographics

Race/Ethnicity

American Indian/Alaskan Native 1.1%

Asian 9.2%

Pacific Islander 1% Black 7.9%Hispanic 21.1% Two or More Races

8.6%Asian /Pacific Is-lander 10.2%

White 60%

Timberline High School Demographics

Free or Reduced-Price Meals – 25%

Special Education – 9%

Military – 18.1%

4 Year College

2 Year and Technical College

Military

36%

42%

8%

Post Graduation

Services Offered to Military Families

Monthly “pizza klatch” discussion group for students in military families.

A database of web-basedResources for parents and students.

Military parents are treated as “Guests of Honor” at Veteran’s Day assemblies.

Services Offered by the Timberline High School Library

Textbook and class supplies check-out.

Collection of fiction, non-fiction and resource materials.

Selection of periodicals

Kendal, Play-Aways, and audio books.

Laptops and two computer labs

Quiet-study areas

Meeting & social space

Suggested Selections for Collection

Resource Materials Provide valuable

facts and contact information.

Give timely, need-to-know data.

Help students and families navigate the myriad of support services.

Suggested Selections for Collection Non-Fiction

Portrays the reality of military life, not just the “Hollywood” version.

Provides real-life stories to which students can relate.

Focuses on both the positive and negative aspects of life for military families.

Suggested Selections for Collections Fiction

Allows students to connect to complex characters.

Demonstrates that being part of a military family is only a part of a student’s identity.

Entertainment with which they can relate.

What I Learned

Students from military families are a significant population at Timberline High School

North Thurston School District and Timberline High School offer a variety of social and academic support services.

The Timberline High School Library can better serve the population by adding suggested selections to its collection. These texts would: Inform Educate Entertain

Photograph Sources

Amazon. “Look Inside.” Amazon.com. Amazon, 2011. Web. 9 Sept. 2011. <http://www.amazon.com>.

Clawdeeah. boy’s group discussion. 7 Oct. 2004. Webshots. American Greetings, 26 Oct. 2004. Web. 9 Sept. 2011. <http://good-times.webshots.com/ photo/ 1204790525058284872aOhXIi>.

Fuse. Son Hugging Military Father. N.d. Gettyimages. Getty Images, n.d. Web. 9 Sept. 2011. <http://www.gettyimages.com/ detail/ 78722695/ Fuse>.

Schuck, Charlie. Military soldier and family smiling. N.d. Gettyimages. Getty Images, n.d. Web. 9 Sept. 2011. <http://www.gettyimages.com/ detail/ 80049609/ UpperCut-Images>.

Works Cited

Berg, Elizabeth. Durable Goods a Novel. New York: Random, 1993. Print. Denis, Brian, Major, Kirby Larson, and Mary Nethery. Nubs the True Story of a Mutt, a Marine and a Miracle. New York: Little, Brown, 2009. Print.

Ellis, Deborah. Off to War: Voices of Soldiers Children. Toronto: Groundwood, 2008. Print.

French, David, and Nancy French. Home and Away: A Story of Family in a Time of War. New York: Hachette, 2011. Print.

Guest, Jacqueline. War Games. Toronto: James Lorimer, 2008. Print.

Hart, Joyce. Being Part of a Military Family. New York: Rosen, 2010. Print. Teen Life.

Novgordoff, Danica, Benjamin Percy, and James Ponsoldt. Refresh Refresh. New York: First Second, 2009. Print.