Lake Park Elementary named one of 88 Military Flagship Schools in Georgia

ALBANY — Lake Park Elementary School has been named one of Georgia’s Military Flagship Schools, a distinction reserved for campuses that demonstrate a commitment to supporting military-connected students and their families — a designation held by just 88 schools statewide.

School leaders, district officials and military representatives gathered Monday to mark the recognition, which is awarded through an annual application process overseen by the Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission and the Georgia Department of Education.

“This recognition as a military flagship school is a reflection of your ongoing commitment to ensuring that every military-connected child and family feels welcome, supported, respected and connected,” Trina Bush, the school’s principal, said.

The designation highlights more than a single program or initiative. Instead, speakers emphasized that it reflects a sustained, schoolwide culture built around understanding the unique challenges military families face, including frequent relocations, deployment cycles and disruptions to students’ academic and social stability.

Dougherty County School System Superintendent Kenneth Dyer called the award a validation of that culture.

“It wasn’t just a title — it represents a culture that honors and recognizes the service and sacrifice of our military-connected families,” Dyer said, noting the school’s intentional efforts to ensure students “feel supported and seen and connected.”

During the program, two Lake Park Elementary students, Athena and Atiba Garvey, read a poem describing the dandelion as the official flower of the military child — symbolizing resilience, adaptability and the ability to thrive in any environment. Like dandelions, military children “put down roots” wherever the wind carries them, relocating frequently due to deployments and permanent change-of-station moves while remaining resilient and strong.

Military leaders echoed that sentiment, pointing to the often-overlooked impact of constant transitions on children. Col. Matthew McKinney, commanding officer at Marine Corps Logistics Base-Albany, said community support plays a critical role in helping families navigate those changes.

“Every time you move, that presents a new challenge,” McKinney said. “The thing that makes me feel the safest for my family … is the community that embraces them each time we move to a new city or town.”

For families, that sense of belonging can be a deciding factor when choosing where to enroll their children. Soy Garvey, president of the Lake Park Elementary PTO, military liaison and mother of Athena and Atiba Garvey, described the process of relocating to Albany and selecting the school, citing its responsiveness and willingness to provide virtual tours and direct communication — steps that helped bridge the gap between on-base and off-base school systems.

Over the past four years, the school has built a network of support that includes military liaisons, community partnerships and annual events such as Month of the Military Child, reaching hundreds of families each year.

State officials say that level of intentionality is what sets flagship schools apart. Rachale LaVoie, the Georgia Department of Education’s military student and family specialist, noted the program’s rapid growth — from just 18 schools to 88 since 2021 — underscoring both the demand and the rigor of the designation.

“This award is not easily earned,” LaVoie said. “It represents a deep, consistent commitment to supporting military-connected students and their families.”

Georgia has one of the largest military populations in the nation, ranking among the Top 5 or 6 states, and education leaders say schools like Lake Park play a key role in attracting and retaining service members by providing stability for their children while setting a standard for other schools in the district.

For Lake Park Elementary, the recognition is both a milestone and a mandate.

“This recognition is a proud moment,” a school leader said in closing remarks, “but it’s also a reminder of the responsibility we carry to continue building a school community where military-connected families feel seen, valued, supported and celebrated.”