West Virginia National Guard Child & Youth Program Annual Report

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "West Virginia National Guard Child & Youth Program Annual Report"

Amos Dixon
6 years ago
Views:

1 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 their own personal coping skills to successfully face and

Our Goals -Education: Provide developmentally-appropriate life skill education to National Guard youth.

2 West Virginia National Guard Child and Youth Program Annual Report 2017 Our Mission To help our military youth be resilient and develop their own personal coping skills to successfully face and overcome the challenges to reach personal goals and understand the resources that are available to help them succeed in their endeavors. Our Goals -Education: Provide developmentally-appropriate life skill education to National Guard youth. -Access: Provide information on access to Federal and State benefits that support National Guard children and families, including: counseling, education, child care and other resources needed to foster a healthy stable and secure family environment. -Opportunity: Create partnerships for opportunities to participate in programs, events and activities geared toward the behavioral and physical health and welfare of children and youth that are available across the spectrum of Government, community and private sector. This includes our school outreach. -Communication: Build a sense of belonging to the ARNG community by creating secure opportunities to network with other youth, parents and youth programs. -Resilience: Infuse resiliency and leadership skills and techniques into all ARNG children and youth program -Outreach: Build and sustain contact with parents and children of the WV National Guard In order to create awareness of available support services and programs. -Commitment to Service: Build a robust volunteer program in which we can create events that support the social, emotional and academic needs of our military kids. Youth and Teens Served 582- Army Guard Ages Army Guard Ages Air Guard Ages Air Guard Ages Active Army Ages Active Army Ages Army Reserve Age Active Air Force 6-12 Adults Served 589- Army National Guard 389- Air National Guard 7- Army Reserve 5- Air Force Reserve 7- Navy Reserve 1- Marine Reserve 1- Coast Guard Reserve 580- Community Partners Total Served: 1579 Total Served: Active Air Force Ages Active Navy Ages Active Marine Ages Active Marine Ages Active Coast Guard Age Active Coast Guard Ages Other Ages Military Ages 0-5 Volunteer Activities Gold Star Support Events, Dr. Seuss Days, My Hero and I Dance, Operation Sweet Dreams providing bears and recorders to deploying units, Kids Kamp, Holiday Events, Deployment & Homecomings and our Military 4H Clubs! 459- Volunteers Hours of planning & programs

2017 Program Highlights 1-Week long Residential Camp~25th Year of Kids Kamp!

1-Regional Youth Symposium 1-Family Strong Bonds Weekend with 7 Habits 2-Military Teen Adventure Camps (Day & Residential) 2-American Red

Seuss Read to Me Day Camps 5-Yellow Ribbon Events 5-Seasonal Gatherings 6-Volunteer and Youth Appreciation Events State Teen Council Our

Our outstanding speaker, Keith Brown, centered the day around character education with emphasizes on self esteem and confidence.

The Service Learning project paired us with Wounded Warriors annual luncheon as well as the Library of Congress Veterans History Project

Our Council also participated in our State Symposium, Operation Mega Phone, Resiliency trainings webinars, and earned community service

Seuss books such as The Lorax, Horton Hears a Who, Do You Know How Lucky You Are and the Disney Movie Inside Out Day, curriculum was put

3 2017 Program Highlights 1-Week long Residential Camp~25th Year of Kids Kamp! 1-Annual WV Gold Star Family Retreat 1-Operation Mega Phone Lock In 1-Hero and I Dance Celebration 1-Inside Out Day Camp 1-Youth Symposium 1-Regional Youth Symposium 1-Family Strong Bonds Weekend with 7 Habits 2-Military Teen Adventure Camps (Day & Residential) 2-American Red Cross First Aid and CPR Trainings 2-American Red Cross Babysitter Trainings 2-First Tee Golf Day Camps Camp 5-Dr. Seuss Read to Me Day Camps 5-Yellow Ribbon Events 5-Seasonal Gatherings 6-Volunteer and Youth Appreciation Events State Teen Council Our Council was very proud to participate in our first Region 3 Symposium this year, hosted in Washington DC! Our outstanding speaker, Keith Brown, centered the day around character education with emphasizes on self esteem and confidence. He challenged each of them to take those lessons back to their home states and remain engaged with others! The Service Learning project paired us with Wounded Warriors annual luncheon as well as the Library of Congress Veterans History Project which captures interviews about serving during war-time. Our Council also participated in our State Symposium, Operation Mega Phone, Resiliency trainings webinars, and earned community service during our events, day camps, Gold Star Family Weekend and unit activities. New Initiative: Read to Me Day Camps Using the ever so famous Dr. Seuss books such as The Lorax, Horton Hears a Who, Do You Know How Lucky You Are and the Disney Movie Inside Out Day, curriculum was put together in order to bring in resiliency building, making good choices, respecting others, dealing with difficult emotions, taking care of our environment and Hunt the Good Stuff. The Day Camps were held at armory locations during the drill day and provided a great introduction to the Child and Youth Program as well as allowing our Teen Council Members to earn community service hours. We hosted 6 Day Camps, serving 87

2017 Operation Megaphone & Teen Council Youth Symposium To highlight our Spring 2017 Activity Schedule in

Our location at Camp Dawson allowed us to complete training topics such as: Human Trafficking & Teen Dating

Members and potential new members of the Teen Council.

time. Participants: completed pledges on how they would commit to being fit; made calm down jars and stress

and one Council Member presented the 4H Curriculum Health Rocks.

Cupcake Wars where they must come together as a team to create not only a delicious cupcake for our judges,

For that weekend, we incorporated our favorite Super Heroes and how they must stay physically and mentally fit

Our weekend ended with our traditional Hunt the Good Stuff as well as a Teen Council Meeting that planned out

dispersed military kid population in West Virginia. 26 Teens and volunteers attended.

Due to the devastating flooding in WV last summer, we had to cancel and it was greatly missed by all!

4 2017 Operation Megaphone & Teen Council Youth Symposium To highlight our Spring 2017 Activity Schedule in honor of Month of the Military Child, we participated in the world-wide Operation Mega Phone! Our location at Camp Dawson allowed us to complete training topics such as: Human Trafficking & Teen Dating Violence Awareness; Self Defense Class taught by our local county Sheriff; participation in the webinars; and social media challenges. In a unique turn, we continued our weekend by moving into our annual Youth Symposium for our Teen Council Members and potential new members of the Teen Council. We continued implementing the Operation Megaphone Service Project, Commit to being fit during our Symposium time. Participants: completed pledges on how they would commit to being fit; made calm down jars and stress balls to deal with emotional times; participated in physical fitness activities, team builders, energizers; and one Council Member presented the 4H Curriculum Health Rocks. In our honored tradition, we split the new kids in with our Youth Council members to participate in our Cupcake Wars where they must come together as a team to create not only a delicious cupcake for our judges, but pull together a presentation that surrounds our theme of the weekend. For that weekend, we incorporated our favorite Super Heroes and how they must stay physically and mentally fit to get the job done! Our weekend ended with our traditional Hunt the Good Stuff as well as a Teen Council Meeting that planned out future events and ideas on how to recruit new council members and provide support to the geographically dispersed military kid population in West Virginia. 26 Teens and volunteers attended Kids Kamp We were so very excited to bring back Kids Kamp this summer! Due to the devastating flooding in WV last summer, we had to cancel and it was greatly missed by all! We celebrated the 25th year for our Kids Kamp by having our traditional repelling, firing range, archery, swimming and arts & crafts. For this year we also brought in the Three Rivers Avian Center and The Department of Natural Resources to talk about West Virginia wildlife. We incorporated classes on Bullying Prevention, healthy eating & snacks from the WVU Families & Health as well as Resiliency Classes! Kids Kamp 2017 served 100 military youth from ages 9 to 14, and was supported by 60 volunteers who served as counselors and support staff.

Resiliency Workshops We are proud to continue bringing resiliency skill workshops and programming to our events this year.

they encounter through an optimistic and proactive point of view.

strategies, mental self-regulation and self-awareness.

skills to their home, communities and their schools.

the Eggs! 6 Workshops were held at Kids Kamp serving 100 youth & teens. 2 additional trainings were held.

educational programs that build character, instill life enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf.

This makes our 8th year of working with this outstanding organization, and we already have our kids asking when First Tee Day camp will be

Teen Camp From utilizing the resiliency skill of Goal Setting our State Teen Council members developed the plan of including more physically

5 Resiliency Workshops We are proud to continue bringing resiliency skill workshops and programming to our events this year. These workshops and programming focused on providing our military teens and families strategies on proactively addressing challenges that they encounter through an optimistic and proactive point of view. The key areas highlighted were: resilience, negativity bias, optimism, hunting for the good stuff, obstacle identifications, goal setting strategies, mental self-regulation and self-awareness. Interactive sessions provided each participant with a resource exercise workbook and handouts that allow them to bring their resiliency skills to their home, communities and their schools. Hunt the Good Stuff jars and label inserts have become one of our favorite hand outs, but the kids love the intro to resiliency & tossing the Eggs! 6 Workshops were held at Kids Kamp serving 100 youth & teens. 2 additional trainings were held. National and State Partners~The First Tee of West Virginia The First Tee Mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf. We are so very proud to once again partner with the WV Golf Association, and their First Tee Golf Program. This makes our 8th year of working with this outstanding organization, and we already have our kids asking when First Tee Day camp will be next summer! Teen Camp From utilizing the resiliency skill of Goal Setting our State Teen Council members developed the plan of including more physically challenging activities and healthy snacks during training times. As an additional part of this goal, it would give them a chance to learn new skills thus enhancing self esteem and confidence that they can carry on with them as they complete high school and move into college and the work force. We offered two opportunities to accomplish their Council goals they wanted to reach and our activities even gave us a chance to bring in West Virginia history with tours of Harpers Ferry, as well as, a visit to a historical encampment outlining the life of our own Mary Ingles. Two locations were offered and served 27 teens and volunteers.

Cell: 304-268-5320 Email: Donna.S.Truman.

6 This is the first summer my boys have participated in the First Tee Camp, and they LOVED it! We are so excited to see what s next that they can be involved in Megan, Spouse 863rd West Virginia National Guard Child & Youth Program Contact Information Susan Izzo Lead Child & Youth Program Coordinator Office: Cell: Susan.C.Izzo.nfg@mail.mil Donna Truman Child & Youth Program Coordinator Office: Cell: Donna.S.Truman.nfg@mail.mil Connect with the West Virginia National Guard Child & Youth Program on these Social Media Sites! Twitter Look up: WVGuard Kids Pinterest Look up: WVGuard Kids Instagram Look up: WVGuard Kids Search: WV National Guard Child & Youth Program

Teen Council. Military Appreciation Day. Winter Teen Leadership Challenge

Teen Council. Military Appreciation Day. Winter Teen Leadership Challenge The Pennsylvania National Guard (PNG) Child & Youth Program will advocate for all PNG children and will offer programs and opportunities to collaborate with other military children to form a strong support