Our Mission To promote and sustain the quality of life and resilience of NCNG children and youth by providing secure, timely, flexible, high quality

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Valentine White
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1 Our Mission To promote and sustain the quality of life and resilience of NCNG children and youth by providing secure, timely, flexible, high quality support services and enrichment programs. Our Goal Our programs are designed to foster positive youth development and support the unique strengths and challenges through Education, Access to resources, Opportunity to partner, Communication, Resiliency and Outreach. 1

Served by Branch & Age Branch Total Zero 5 6-12 13-17 SM Family Army National Guard 2134 274 333 212 765 550 Air National Guard 37 0 9 18 5 5 Army 4 0 2 0 1 1 Army Reserve 4 0 2 0 1 1 Community

This year we utilized 27 volunteers contributing 539 hours of service valued at $12,392, according to www.independentsector.org the estimated value of volunteer time in North Carolina is $22.

2 Served by Branch & Age Branch Total Zero SM Family Army National Guard Air National Guard Army Army Reserve Community Partners Trained 456 Resource Referrals Made 1510 Volunteers - We could not support all of the military connected children in North Carolina without volunteers. This year we utilized 27 volunteers contributing 539 hours of service valued at $12,392, according to the estimated value of volunteer time in North Carolina is $22.99 per hour as of Volunteers supervised youth, provided educational training, sorted supplies, and brought in snacks and drinks when needed. In addition, we had our Teen Council contribute hours of community service of which 249 hours were directly contributed to supporting National Guard events. CSF2 Resiliency Training for Teens - This year North Carolina trained a total of 74 Teen s in the CSF2 Resiliency Program for Teens ages 11 to 17 during 7 separate events. Twenty-Six participants ages 14 to 17 were trained in all 14 skills during this year s NCNG Teen Retreat and an additional 32 campers age 11 to 13 were trained during Youth Camp in HTGS, PIIP and Thinking Traps. These skills help build Optimism one of the six core competencies in the CSF2 program. The remainder of the youth were taught 1-3 skills during Yellow Ribbon events. Skills taught during Yellow Ribbon events were chosen based on the stage of deployment for the unit. 2

NCNG Teen Council - Empowering Teen s to be Resilient Leaders An average of 11 Army National Guard & 1 Air National Guard Teen Council members participated in activities throughout the year during 9

Members didn t shy away from topics that were difficult but instead dove head first into lessons on the drug/opioid epidemic, suicide, and healthy relationships.

, hospital personnel and other subject matter experts our teens were educated and given resources, all stating they felt more comfortable discussing these topics with their peers.

family. The life skills learned throughout the year will help teen s be prepared to speak-up, adapt to change, set goals and become the leaders of tomorrow.

3 NCNG Teen Council - Empowering Teen s to be Resilient Leaders An average of 11 Army National Guard & 1 Air National Guard Teen Council members participated in activities throughout the year during 9 meetings that would provide them tools to work through some of the challenges of being a teen. Members didn t shy away from topics that were difficult but instead dove head first into lessons on the drug/opioid epidemic, suicide, and healthy relationships. Through educational support from our NCNG S.H.A.R.P., hospital personnel and other subject matter experts our teens were educated and given resources, all stating they felt more comfortable discussing these topics with their peers. Discussing the importance of making smart decisions and knowing when to leave a situation or ask for help, can be very difficult but education and awareness will help equip them with the tools needed to use good judgement. One of our teens, Jared Brodie, was chosen to serve on the Army Teen Panel and was able to voice the concerns of National Guard youth and gain a new perspective on the effects of being in a military family. The life skills learned throughout the year will help teen s be prepared to speak-up, adapt to change, set goals and become the leaders of tomorrow. Although some life skills can be difficult to learn, the teens also had fun working on becoming chefs, scientists, and videographers. Teen Retreat hosted 20 Army National Guard & 6 Air National Guard teens with this year s focus on giving back and not giving up. The agenda was packed full of Resiliency skills, leadership, community service, stem projects, team building and educational experiences. Motivational speaker, Patrick Perez, set the pace for the week at the NCNG Teen Retreat with his Just Keep Dancing presentation focusing on building self-esteem and leadership skills creating role models with a sense of purpose and responsibility and the competency to make smart decisions. Operation Kids on Guard Operation Kiddies/Kids on Guard is not a boot camp, but an educational and fun day or weekend event that brings military children together. KOG allows us the flexibility to introduce children to new experiences and hands on learning. This year KOG sponsored two unique opportunities for experiential learning. The first being the Pumpkin Palooza where children visited Three Bear s Acres to learn about the life cycle of plants and fall crops, recycling, marksmanship with the corn cannon & archery and a STEM engineering project building catapults to smash pumpkins. In the spring we visited the Aquarium for an overnight learning adventure Sleeping with the Fishes. During this overnight event the kids learned about the ocean and environmental changes effecting sea life, conservation, the food chain, indigenous animals to Cape Fear and tried their hand at Gyotaku (Japanese Fish Painting) all while creating lasting bonds with other military children from across the state. 3

Mentorship We continue to focus on supporting teens who will become our countries next top leaders, those who will bring about positive change in their community.

Mentor is defined as an individual with the experience, knowledge, and/or skills of a specific content area who is able, willing, and available to share this information with another individual.

Having different age groups to work with in the program helped them improve and utilize different soft skills. Who better to help military youth then military teens?

4 Mentorship We continue to focus on supporting teens who will become our countries next top leaders, those who will bring about positive change in their community. This year we wanted to take our teens leadership roles to a new height by adding a mentoring capacity. Mentor is defined as an individual with the experience, knowledge, and/or skills of a specific content area who is able, willing, and available to share this information with another individual. This year our NCNG Teens created a mentorship program that encompassed both peer-to-peer relationships and younger military youth. Having different age groups to work with in the program helped them improve and utilize different soft skills. Who better to help military youth then military teens? We have found that there is no better way to support children through deployments, social and family challenges then our teens who have been through similar situations not long ago. Our teens provide mentoring at 6 Yellow Ribbons, 2 Unit Family Days, and 6 other youth focused events in which they worked with the younger NCNG youth. These mentorships not only benefited our youth but our teens as well. Mentoring relationships allow individuals to learn while they are doing. It teaches our teens to not only use what they have learned through their struggles and challenges but empowers them to promote solutions within the younger generation. Creating a bond between military connected disbursed youth across the state is priceless. The next tier of mentorship enabled our teens to be peer mentors, where our teens truly blossomed and were pushed out of their comfort zone. The programs we offer are geared to encourage integrity and veracity, while this program output is difficult to measure, it is our teens who have begun holding each other accountable in all areas: socially, academically, and physically. We saw teens coming into new schools and being welcomed into a new atmosphere, try new sports, and explore the arts all while utilizing the support and experience of other NCNG teens. Bringing the mentorship opportunity full circle, this year we were able to offer a unique opportunity for our Teens to participate and implement skills learned throughout the year as a Secondary Counselor at our 2017 NCNG Child and Youth Camp. After applications were submitted, we selected three teens to participate who then had to complete a mandatory online training through 4H. Throughout the camp week, teens slept in the cabins, worked with their counselor, and participated in programs with their assigned groups. Teens were paired with the youngest campers, so they were challenged with patience and understanding, as they had to assist in the most simple of tasks like tying shoes, making beds, and getting ready for bed, needless to say they were exhausted by the end of the week! However tired they might have been, the teens really stepped up and made a lasting impression not only on the 65 campers but the 4-H staff, as they were all commenting on how helpful and respectful our NCNG Teens are. Two of the teens are often quiet, shy and a bit timid around their peers. Stepping into this new role we saw them flourish into kind, inclusive, energetic leaders. Giving them a platform in which they could grow into who they want to be with self-confidence and determination to be themselves. One teen quoted that during this experience he learned to always be yourself and never let himself or anyone else hold you back (Desmond Williams son of SSG Kate Williams, ARNG). Instilling confidence in oneself, acceptance of diversity, and empowering action and change is what we continue to see as our youth engage in our program. It was a privilege to be able to offer this opportunity and teens were able to develop in many different ways. 4

Program Highlights Yellow Ribbon Events (8) Teen

(109) MOMC Military Ball MOMC Spring Egg-Stravaganza

Star Family Event Teen Dating Violence Event Family Day

Holiday Assistance Back to School Brigade Fall Festival

Connected students Building Capacity Teaming with

volunteers and training at Yellow Ribbon events which

special events throughout the year providing much

John Deere, Operation Homefront, Powles Station Funeral

the Military Child, Back to School, Fall Festival,

Teen Retreat and Teen Council meetings were supported

Rex Hospital, Triangle Nutrition, Step Up for Soldiers,

This allows our teens to learn from and gain a

5 Program Highlights Yellow Ribbon Events (8) Teen Council Meetings (9) New Parent Packets Distributed (109) MOMC Military Ball MOMC Spring Egg-Stravaganza Youth Camp (ages 6-13) Teen Retreat (ages 14-17) Gold Star Family Event Teen Dating Violence Event Family Day s (2) KOG Sleeping with the Fishes Event Turkey Express Holiday Assistance Back to School Brigade Fall Festival s (2) Wake County School Workshop Supporting Military Connected students Building Capacity Teaming with Community Partners and Volunteers to Build Community Capacity Every year Project Y.E.S., the American Red Cross and the USO help provide volunteers and training at Yellow Ribbon events which is especially beneficial with large units and allows us to have a diverse curriculum. The USO and Red Cross help with family days and other special events throughout the year providing much needed volunteer support as well as give-a-ways, snacks, activities and craft supplies. Raleigh Elks Lodge, Pipers Tavern, Packs 4 Patriots, John Deere, Operation Homefront, Powles Station Funeral Home, Wells Fargo and SAAF help support our Month of the Military Child, Back to School, Fall Festival, Turkey Express and Holiday Assistance. Teen Retreat and Teen Council meetings were supported with training and supplies provided by NCNG SHARP, UNC Rex Hospital, Triangle Nutrition, Step Up for Soldiers, 4H and Cape Fear Community College. This allows our teens to learn from and gain a different perspective from subject matter experts. Operation Kids on Guard provided financial support for Sleeping with the Fishes and the Pumpkin Palooza allowing service members to bond and make memories with their children. 5

Making an Impact on Soldiers, Family Members and Children.

program has had tremendous impact on my Family's Readiness as I get ready for deployment.

This year I was blessed with the opportunity of taking my two girls to a Military Children's Ball.

had and will continue to have a long lasting impact on my Family.

up for every event available so that they are exposed to other military children.

My youngest daughter went this year to Fort Fisher to a sleepover at the aquarium and told all her friends at school it

The Child & Youth Program has provided not only for myself but for so many families and members of the Guard.

Knowing when I was deployed that Ms. Wagner & Mrs.

6 Making an Impact on Soldiers, Family Members and Children... "I can say nothing but great things about the North Carolina National Guard Child & Youth and Family Programs; this program has had tremendous impact on my Family's Readiness as I get ready for deployment. We have had the opportunity to send our Boys to a workshop at a local university for a few days, and that really helped them visualize life in college. We've also had opportunities to spend quality family time at different events, such as the Mudcats game in This year I was blessed with the opportunity of taking my two girls to a Military Children's Ball. All these great events and the many others not mentioned, as well as all the resources provided by this program, have had and will continue to have a long lasting impact on my Family. They have surely learned to value the NC Army National Guard and know they will be there for them when I am gone later this year." v/r CW2 Luis Jerezbrea, 449th TAB ARNG The Child & Youth Program has giving my family tremendous support through the years. Being in the Guard, the service members and dependents are spread across the state so I always try to sign my children up for every event available so that they are exposed to other military children. Every year my children are excited to go to the NCNG Youth Camp during the summer. My youngest daughter went this year to Fort Fisher to a sleepover at the aquarium and told all her friends at school it was a special event just for military kids. The Child & Youth Program has provided not only for myself but for so many families and members of the Guard. Having this type of resource and support has made it easy for me to remain ready and resilient. Knowing when I was deployed that Ms. Wagner & Mrs. Dean were still in touch with my children, involving them and updating them on events when I was gone was reassuring for me and my children. v/r, SSG Danielle C. Cotton, 30th ABCT ARNG Then & Now The best part of our job is watching our youth grow-up in the Child & Youth Program from babies to campers to college graduates or guardsmen themselves. Our programs have expanded to support them each step of the way. Alice Dean Lead Child & Youth Program Coordinator alice.c.dean.ctr@mail.mil State Family Programs Office Download our FREE App search: ARNG CYSS Kristi Wagner Child & Youth Program Coordinator Kristi.l.wagner4.ctr@mail.mil Become a Fan on Facebook, Search North Carolina National Guard Family Programs Follow us on Twitter 6

West Virginia National Guard Child & Youth Program Annual Report

West Virginia National Guard Child & Youth Program 2017 Annual Report West Virginia National Guard Child and Youth Program Annual Report 2017 Our Mission To help our military youth be resilient and develop