A New Survey is Bringing Attention to the Challenges Military Teens Face

A new national survey is revealing how many military-connected students struggle with mental health and finding a sense of belonging. Bret Burkhart and Veronica Carter spoke with psychologist and curriculum developer with Sanford Harmony at National University, Dr. Nick Yoder, to find out what's being done to help them.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
P us. This new school year approaches for some and
is underway for others. A new national survey being released
today is revealing ongoing challenges from military teams.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
Joining us now on the Coco News liveline is psychologists
and curriculum developer with Sanford Harmony at National University, doctor
nick Yoder, Doctor, Thank you so much for joining us
on San Diego's Morning News. Hey, thanks for having me
tell us a little bit about what those challenges are
for military teams.

Speaker 3 (00:27):
Yeah. Later today, National University Stanford Harmony is hosting the
National Military Family Association to launch the release of new
findings from the Military Team Experience Survey.

Speaker 4 (00:37):
So Nationally University is along.

Speaker 3 (00:39):
Serving military long serving military families, and rather than simply
releasing new data, we're bringing together military families, educators and
school leaders to ask a practical question, what can adults
do differently this school year to help school and students
feel connected from day one? So I know Roley from
NFA is going to be on later this week to
break down the findings, but unfortunately, the results tell us

(01:02):
that this discussion is deeply and desperately needed. For the
fifth consecutive year, the survey finds that military connected teams
continue to support significant well being challenges, So we need
to do more to help students feel welcome, connected and
supported in their schools.

Speaker 1 (01:16):
What is the challenge that most often you hear from
military teenagers.

Speaker 4 (01:23):
Yeah, so, oftentimes in for military teenagers, particularly oftentimes they're
engaging in new communities often so they might be you know,
finding new peers to connect with, finding new teachers to
connect with, not knowing the typical transitions so that are
happening in schools. So it's really about kind of how

(01:45):
they are engaging in schools, in really experiencing students in
classrooms for the first time as they're really and also
them experiencing when their families are deployed and kind of
experiencing those mental and emotional channel just with having you know,
parents deployed as well.

Speaker 5 (02:02):
Sure, we're talking about a new survey that is actually
helping military teens succeed in school and doctor nick Yoder
is one of the curriculum developers with Sanford Harmony at
National University.

Speaker 2 (02:16):
Doctor, is this a new phenomenon, this problem that we're
facing and if so, why.

Speaker 3 (02:23):
So? No, I don't think this is a new problem
we're facing, particularly for military teens, the idea of really
feeling connected and engaged has been incredibly important. It's so
incredibly important for learning.

Speaker 4 (02:35):
So as kids come back to school, the idea of feeling.

Speaker 3 (02:41):
Connected, engaged in learning is incredibly important. Kids all across
the country common transition between classrooms, between schools, between educators
and teachers, and so a lot of the kids are
typically experiencing some sort of transition often, so the idea
that we really need to support kids and their well
being and relationship, particularly at the beginning of the school year,

(03:03):
has been widely known and has been really important for
us to focus on as educators and families.

Speaker 1 (03:10):
You know, whatever we do, we need to worry about
kids who are thinking about harming themselves and that is
a real problem, not just military teens, teens in general,
but a lot of the military teens.

Speaker 4 (03:25):
Yeah, that is absolutely true.

Speaker 3 (03:27):
One of the things that we really need to ensure
is how are we supporting hidos right from the start,
So the more that we are able to engage in
them in kind of relationship building activities, finding ways to
help them feel connected, to feel supported, to feel valued
in their school communities, particularly as they engage in these transitions.
Will help reduce the ideas of self harm and will

(03:51):
help kids feel like they have those support structures in
place so that they can kind of navigate those challenges
that they face.

Speaker 2 (04:00):
Is there a place that people can find out more information?

Speaker 3 (04:03):
Doctor yeah, so you can find out more information on
Stanford Harmony at Sanford Harmony dot org, which we have
a lot of information about supporting kids' relationships with well
being and support structures that educators and parents can provide them.
For parents specifically, we also have a Harmony at Home
app that parents can engage in these practices with their

(04:26):
their youth at home as well, and you can find
that information at Sampra Armond dot work.

Speaker 1 (04:30):
Doctor nick Yoder at Sandford Harmony at National University, thank
you so much, Thank

Speaker 4 (04:35):
You so much, so this great talking to you.