Baileigh Levée is a military spouse, mom, and personal blogger. She discusses how her military family has navigated holiday celebrations and traditions over the years, while living all over the world. She shares tips and resources for creating new holiday traditions and making it fun for the whole family.

This podcast is made possible by generous funding from the Air and Space Forces Spouses’ Club of Washington, D.C. To learn more, visit https://www.afoscdc.com/.

Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.

Baileigh Levée

Growing up in small town Louisiana, though we proudly boasted a local Air Force Base, I had little to no knowledge of military service or the military lifestyle. My experience was likely the same as most Americans: It was a story my dad told, an old image of my grandfather in a uniform, it was comforting and the source of pride. But yet, it was distant and irrelevant to me as a kid.

In life, expect the unexpected.

I met my now Marine as a freshman in college, and together we have been married 15 years with three children. Therefore, the military lifestyle is ALL they know. While their birth certificates are part of their origin story, if you ask them where they are from, they will quickly answer, “everywhere.” East coast to west coast and now with two duty stations in foreign countries, our family motto is “home is where we are together.”

Becoming a wife and mother in a lifestyle that was unchartered territory for me has been both thrilling and humbling. There are many days when I cannot believe that this is my life, as it is such a departure from the small town where I grew up. The challenges I’ve faced have challenged everything I know. Through the highs and lows, from every address, my experience as a military spouse and mother has been my greatest adventure and accomplishment. I have found personal joy and a creative outlet in sharing our story and experiences in the hopes that it stands as a way for us to relate to others, as well as an opportunity to virtually take our family and friends along with us. No matter where we go, we have found these principals to be universal:

• Home is people, not places.
• Value those things that have no price tag.
• No grit, no pearl.

www.LeveesinLondon.com

Resources:

Activity Advent Calendar Template

https://www.leveesinlondon.com/_files/ugd/71da9b_53714a40cd8d48beafa747d95777399d.pdf

BigFuture’s mission is to ensure every student has free resources to plan for life after high school. Listen as Greg Rafal, Director of BigFuture Program Implementation at College Board, shares how they are focused on supporting all students plan for their future. He also discusses the importance of consistent college and career guidance for our military-connected students, and how BigFuture is helping do just that.

This podcast is made possible by generous funding from the Naval Officers’ Spouses’ Club Washington, D.C. To learn more, visit https://www.noscdc.org/.

Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.

The College Board

https://www.collegeboard.org/

BigFuture

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/

Student Search Service

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/student-search-service

Greg Rafal is the Director of BigFuture Program Implementation at College Board. In this role, his focus is to increase K-12 and caring adult awareness of BigFuture and to lead the BigFuture Live virtual community event strategy. Prior to his role at College Board, he worked in higher education. Most recently he was at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business where he oversaw global programs for undergraduate and MBA students. He also worked in international student admissions and student affairs at several other institutions. He received his MA in International Education and Training from American University and BA in Spanish/Political Science from Christopher Newport University. Greg is originally from northern Virginia and is based in Washington, DC.

The Purple Star School program is designed to help schools respond to the educational and social-emotional challenges military-connected children face during their transition to a new school. Listen as Pete LuPiba, “Founder of Purple Star Schools” discusses how the Purple Star Program is supporting military-connected students and families thrive.

This podcast is made possible by generous funding from the Mountain Home Spouses’ Club. To learn more, visit https://www.mountainhomeosc.org/

Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.

Ohio Department of Education

https://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Other-Resources/Military-Resources/Schools/Purple-Star-Award

Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission (MIC3)-Ohio

https://mic3.net/state/ohio/

National Advocate for Purple Star Schools

Pete LuPiba is Ohio’s (MIC3) Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commissioner. Initially appointed in 2012 and duly reappointed by the Honorable Mike DeWine, Governor of Ohio in 2019. LuPiba serves as Deputy Director for the Office of Budget and Management in the State of Ohio. LuPiba formerly served as Public Affairs Officer at the Department of Education, 2007-2019.

LuPiba founded the Purple Star School Award for Military family-friendly schools in 2015-2017. Purple Star is in 40+ States (*with 4,100+ Schools), including Virginia, Alaska, South Carolina, Florida, California, Texas, Idaho, Washington State, and New Hampshire – with 600 Purple Star Schools across Ohio. LuPiba was honored to serve as a key advisor and the Master of Ceremonies as Ohio formally launched the Collegiate Purple Star initiative as led by Governor Mike DeWine, and Chancellor Randy Gardner, and the Department of Higher Education.

In November of 2022, fellow Ohioans, state MIC3 leaders around the country, and Governor Mike DeWine nominated LuPiba to be honored in the 30th Anniversary Class of the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame. This Hall of Fame includes Ulysses S. Grant, Neil A. Armstrong, and John H. Glenn. In February of 2023, Adjutant General of the Ohio Army and Air National Guard; Major General John C. Harris, Jr. commissioned LuPiba as an Honorary Buckeye Colonel.

LuPiba coordinated the effort to eliminate the professional educator licensure fee for teachers and coaches and administrators who have served or are serving in the Armed Forces’ Uniform – including the spouses of active-duty personnel. As of 2023, Military families in Ohio have saved more than $365,000.

In 2017-2018, LuPiba developed a state-wide Military Signing Day ceremony for those young men and women choosing to join the Armed Forces to begin their career, including through the Branch Service Academies and ROTC Scholarships at Universities and Colleges. At the 2023 Ceremony, Ohio hosted more than 300 attendees in the State’s capital of Columbus at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum.

LuPiba served active-duty, enlisted United States Navy – deploying with Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 11 to Iraq in 2006. LuPiba completed his duty in the Armed Forces while attached to the Reserves – serving with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 26.

LuPiba is an Alumnus of The Ohio State University and the University of Southern California. LuPiba is married to technology evangelist and cybersecurity expert, Jennifer. The LuPibas reside in greater Columbus with their five children; Sally, Corazon, Lincoln, Grant, and Washington.