“Purple Up! For Military Kids” is a day, during Month of the Military Child, to wear purple show support and thank military children for their strength and sacrifices.  Why purple? Purple is the color that symbolizes all branches of the military, as it is a combination of Army green, Coast Guard blue, Air Force blue, Marine red, Navy blue and Space Force dark blue and white.  (You can wear purple and celebrate Month of the Military Child throughout April!)

Extension and 4-H are helping lead the Purple Up! for Military Kids efforts in Colorado by having county commissioners sign special proclamations, producing purple STEM videos and posting them to the State 4-H website, wearing purple, asking schools to wear purple that day, hosting a FB live panel of military parents and kids, doing social media blasts and more.

Also, please share with your 4-H families the information for a live Facebook presentation on April 15 from 7:00-7:30 p.m. – by some incredible military kids and parents.  The youth will share what it’s like to be a “military kid” and their parents will share what life is like being in the military.  It will be on the state 4-H Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/colorado4h

Please join us in celebrating on Purple Up! Day.  Military kids serve too!

HUGE THANK YOU to our 4-H Purple Up! Committee:  Amy Kelley, Lacey Mann, Tianna Garcia, Marlena Griesse, Jen Johnston and Claudia Meeks.

Resources for county use:

• Social media posts and a social media plan you may personalize and use in your counties
• Draft proclamation for Purple Up! Day (can be signed by county commissioners, schools, etc.)
• Below are some awesome “Purple UP!” STEM videos, done by 4-Hers, that be completed at home.
  • Purple Up! 4-H – Scratch and Sniff Watercolors
  • Purple Up! 4-H – How to make Purple Playdoh
  • Purple Up! 4-H – Making a Purple Smoothie

If you have questions or need any more information or ideas celebrating Purple Up!, please contact Vanessa.Tranel@colostate.edu. 

Thank you for your support and appreciation in helping us appreciate our military kids!