LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. -- The Arkansas Council for Military Children recently recognized Terri Williams, Little Rock Air Force Base school liaison program manager, for her outstanding achievements in ensuring military children are not at a disadvantage within the education system.
The ACMC is a program that collaborates with government agencies and school districts to minimize and eliminate the educational barriers children of military families may face.
One of Williams’ major roles within the ACMC is being the chairperson for the outreach committee which provides military families with information regarding the council to assist their children in receiving the education they needed.
Additionally, Williams is the chairperson for the training committee where she assists local school districts with the training required to help military children when moving or switching school districts.
“A military scholar will move six to nine times during their education years,” said Williams. “Being part of the council and the base’s school liaison program manager, I ensure that military children get what they need in regards to a permanent change of station. [I also] ensure that school districts follow the regulations to support every military child and that they’re able to receive all the benefits they deserve.”
Not only was Williams able to provide the proper guidance and support to local military children, but she also helped bring in civilian children from other school districts to the Department of Defense’s STARBASE program.
Williams was able to implement the STARBASE program at Little Rock AFB to enhance science, technology, engineering, and mathematics learning for 5th grade students in Arkansas. This program allows students the opportunity to receive 25 hours of class time on a military installation and explore the opportunities in STEM learning.
“This program is going to bring in almost 20,000 scholars who are partnering with the base and our relationships with the school districts are a result of that,” said Williams. “These students are given the opportunity for hands-on learning which could spark [interest] in a future career they would like to pursue.”
Williams said that she wouldn’t have received this recognition without the help of installation leadership and her partnerships within the community and local school districts.
Williams added that she hopes in the future she will be able to help military children from other locations with the help of ACMC, STARBASE, and Little Rock AFB.
“It’s not really my recognition, it’s the recognition of all of us that has helped make this happen,” said Williams. “We are not done yet.”