Military Bowl and Wegmans Honor 20-Year Army Vet Turned Teacher

The Military Bowl Foundation and its grocery partner, Wegmans Food Markets, Inc., surprised Arlington teacher and 20-year U.S. Army veteran Melissa Dyer-Dewitt with a $1,000 grant to use in her classroom as part of the College Football Playoff Foundation’s Big Day for Teachers. The program is dedicated to supporting and celebrating teachers and saying thank you to amazing educators dedicated to helping kids learn.

“It is wonderful to be able to recognize Melissa’s dedicated service to our country and to her students,” Military Bowl Foundation President & Executive Director Steve Beck said. “Participating in the Extra Yard for Teachers program is just one of the ways that the Military Bowl Foundation and its partners give back to the community. We are very appreciative that Wegmans shares our commitment and knows the importance of supporting our service members and our teachers.”

Dyer-Dewitt retired honorably from the U.S. Army, after her career there was spent primarily serving with the Fife and Drum Corps. Her husband also served for 20 years.

At Swanson, Dyer-Dewitt teaches world geography and is the cheerleading team coach. In addition to her work in the classroom, Dyer-Dewitt is the faculty sponsor for Swanson’s Purple Frogs program for military-connected and state department students; was a driving force behind Swanson’s successful achievement of Purple Star school status; and has been the primary coordinator of Swanson’s Month of the Military Child celebrations. Dyer-Dewitt also uses her connections to bring military performance groups to the school.

“She brings a sense of discipline,” Swanson Principal Bridget Loft said. “She brings a real inherent sense of service to the community. She is open and welcoming to a diverse array of perspectives, having experienced that herself, and she is able to convey a sense of duty to our kids and her colleagues in a way that is easy to swallow. … This is a real affirmation of the work that she is doing with her students, of her background and of her contribution to our community.”

The Military Bowl Foundation will honor more teachers through the Extra Yard for Teachers program later this fall. Nominations and submissions for the grants can be made via the Military Bowl website through September 30. Selected teachers will be honored at the Go Bowling Military Bowl game on Saturday, December 27 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

Last year, the Go Bowling Military Bowl, Wegmans and College Football Playoff Foundation provided grants to 11 local teachers in recognition of their dedication to students. These teachers represented school districts from across the Mid-Atlantic Region, stretching from Prince William County in Virginia to Anne Arundel County in Maryland.

“We are devoted to being a good neighbor in every community we serve,” said Chris Holland, community engagement & communications manager at Wegmans. “We believe that education creates opportunity. The National Capital Region has many educators that have served our nation and now continue to serve our communities. We are proud of our sustained partnership with Military Bowl in support of Extra Yard for Teachers to honor and celebrate some of these wonderful educators.”

The College Football Playoff Foundation is the community engagement arm of the College Football Playoff and works in partnership with institutions of higher education, sports organizations, corporations and nonprofits to support educators and improve U.S. student outcomes. Extra Yard for Teachers, the College Football Playoff Foundation’s primary initiative, seeks to elevate the teaching profession by inspiring and empowering teachers.

Tickets for the 2025 Go Bowling Military Bowl go on sale soon. This year’s Go Bowling Military Bowl will be held on Saturday, December 27, kicking off at 11 a.m. ET at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md., and televised on ESPN. The game once again will match teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the American Athletic Conference. Proceeds from the Bowl benefit Patriot Point, the Military Bowl Foundation’s 294-acre retreat for wounded, ill and injured service members, their families and caregivers.