Writing, Resilience, and "Purple Up" Spirit

YOKOSUKA, Japan – If you walked into the USO on the afternoon of April 22, 2026, you didn’t just find the usual snacks and gaming chairs. Instead, the room was charged with the electric energy of young writers finding their voices, parents, and community supporters.

The Month of the Military Child Poetry Celebration, coordinated by Yokosuka Middle School 6th-grade Reading teacher, Tyhisha Nevels, Ed.S., and USO Center Operations Manager, Ms. Fernanda Schroeder, served as a powerful reminder that while military life is defined by service, the hearts of the children are defined by their stories. With cameras from AFN rolling and reporters from Stars and Stripes capturing every word, our students took center stage to show the community what "resilience" actually looks like in practice.

The program was anchored by three guest speakers who provided a "real-world" framework for the student performances. Each speaker touched on a core pillar of the military child experience:

• Support During Transitions: Active-duty parent Ms. Kenya Forcer opened the dialogue by highlighting the "heavy lifting" kids do during a PCS. It was a call to action for the community to be the "anchor" for students as they navigate new schools and time zones, because their service is often in silence.
• The Power of Resiliency: Mr. Soliz, representing Emergency Readiness, spoke to the incredible adaptability of military children—noting that they don't just "bounce back," they grow stronger through the challenges of deployment and change.
• A Unique Community: Retired military parent Mr. Steven Adams closed the guest speaker segment by celebrating the "global tribe" that military children belong to, emphasizing that their upbringing gives them a perspective on the world that most adults would envy.

While the adults provided the context, the students provided the soul. Four featured student poets stepped to the microphone, turning their personal experiences into high-level literature.

As an ELA teacher, I was so proud of the deep shared experience these students delivered. From metaphors about "unpacked boxes" to imagery of "map-dot hearts," the students used every literary device in the book to bridge the gap between their private feelings and the public audience.

"I wanted to display their talent, but more importantly, we wanted to speak to their tenacity," said Tyhisha Nevels, the event coordinator. “This showcase was about coming together to do what we do best: support one another.”

The presence of Stars and Stripes and AFN underscored a vital truth: these students’ stories are "news." Their ability to articulate the complexities of military life—the pride, the longing, and the grit—is a masterclass in communication.

The event concluded with closing remarks from the USO Center Operations Mansager, but the conversation didn't end there. Parents and students lingered, discussing poems and sharing their own stories of the "Yokosuka life."

Our Dragon poets proved that words are just as strong as any uniform. They didn't just read poetry; they built a community.

Purple Up!