JBER Youth Centers offer clubs and programs to military youth

by Airman 1st Class Ty-Rico Lea
JBER Public Affairs

4/29/2014 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- With the snow melted and summer quickly approaching, children and teenagers at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson have the opportunity to take advantage of the different activities offered at the base youth centers.

The Kennecott Youth Center, part of the 673d Force Support Squadron, is an after-school facility that offers programs to children of active military, Guard, Reserve, Department of Defense civilians and DoD contractors. Programs include the Torch Club, Running Club, Triple Play, Photography Club, Power Hour, Nutrition Club, Triple Play, Youth of the Year, Night Hoops, The Keystone Club, Immersion Learning and Sports Club. The Club welcomes children ages 9 to 18. Kennecott personnel mentor 50 to 200 young people on a daily basis.

"In our programs, we focus on four core values, which are sports, health, life skills and technology, with occasional field trips emphasizing educational principles we wish to instill," said Andrew Freed, 673d FSS child and youth assistant. "We definitely make a conscious effort to try to involve children from all walks of life."

Youth Center patrons take trips to places such as the Anchorage Museum and Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward, Alaska.

"What we want the children to gain from our programs is bettering themselves as citizens and to build a great starting point for their futures," said Deandra Wood, 673d FSS Kennecott Youth Center programmer specialist.

According to Freed, clubs within the center develop youth on a personal basis and prepare them to become adults.

"Adding clubs to the program allows the youth or child to feel they are a part of something," Wood said. "All clubs, activities and events have a lesson and purpose that is embedded within them. It makes the youth better members of society and better people in general."

"I started coming here with a couple of my friends four years ago, and it just became a place to hang," said Travis Riddle, 17, son of Air Force Master Sgt. Timothy Riddle, 773d Civil Engineer Squadron. "My favorite part of being here is how the staff interacts with the youth and doesn't allow anyone to feel left out."

Riddle is also a member of the 'Passport to Manhood,' a club for teen boys which focuses on decision making, treating others with respect and developing into mature adults.

A counterpart to the Passport to Manhood is the Smart Girls club for teen girls who have similar discussions and objectives.

"The main goal of the program is to feel good about one's self and treat others with respect, so we learn techniques for personal growth," said Natalie Korkmaz, 14, daughter of retired Air Force Master Sgt. Shannon Natalie. "We visited a makeup store in Anchorage ... we learned that all girls have natural beauty, and learned the proper ways to apply foundation."

The Kennecott Youth Center also offers a Run Club and Torch Club. The Run Club invites the youth to run three to six miles Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. The Torch Club promotes leadership and character development by performing community service, such as community clean-up around the youth center.

Like any military-oriented facility, the Kennecott Youth Center has missions and objectives they must accomplish that contribute to the Air Force mission as a whole.

"Our job as youth coordinators is to assist the DoD, military and civilian personnel in balancing the competing demands of accomplishing the DoD mission and family life," Wood said. "We meet these needs by managing and delivering a system of quality, available and affordable programs and services for eligible children and youth."

The Youth Center provides recreational activities with team-building components like football, soccer, softball and video games free of charge for social growth of the children.
For more information, contact the Kennecott Youth Center office at 552-2266.