DEFY prepares youths for successful future Published July 25, 2012 By Airman 1st Class Jessica Keith 17th Training Wing Public Affairs GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas-- -- Now in its tenth year here, the Navy-run Drug Education For Youth program is preparing children of Defense Department employees for success by teaching them teamwork and leadership skills while emphasizing the dangers of drugs, alcohol and gangs. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Reginald Epps, Navy Center for Information Dominance Detachment, said one of the main objectives of the program is to instill confidence in youths so they are able to "just say no" to peer pressure and make their own informed decisions. Epps said building up the youths' confidence is key to giving them the skills to say no to drugs, alcohol and gangs. "A person who isn't firm in his decisions is much more likely to give in to peer pressure," Epps said. "We try to teach them they are the chairman of the board of their lives and they should make decisions based on the input they get from their board of advisors. The advisors are positive adult influences like their parents, teachers or guidance counselors, not peers trying to pressure them into making choices." DEFY is a year-long program that consists of two phases. The first phase differs from base to base, but always takes place during the summer. Some bases choose to implement a five-day program where the youths stay overnight; Goodfellow uses an eight-day program where parents drop the children off in the morning and pick them up in the evening. During this phase youths spend nearly 40 hours interacting with volunteer staff members from every branch of service. Upon graduating the eight-day program, the youths are placed in groups that meet monthly throughout the school year to reinforce the values they learned over the summer. "The school year is the real test," Epps said. "That is where they are faced with peer pressure and difficult choices. We want them to be confident enough in themselves to remember they have options and don't have to give in." One of the unique aspects of DEFY is that the program encourages youth to participate year after year in ever increasing leadership roles. "Once youths come back for their second year, they get to become junior mentors to the new participants," Epps added. "They're given more responsibilities and placed in a leadership role to continue to raise their confidence and ability to make decisions for themselves and others." This is Epps second year leading the program at Goodfellow and he said it is rewarding to watch the children grow more confident over time. "These youths come from all kinds of backgrounds," he said. "Some of them come in and have low self-esteem. I can't express how rewarding it is to see them stand up for themselves as they learn to take an active role in their futures." In addition to mentoring the youths and educating youths about the dangers of negative peer pressure, the program encourages to children to get outside and be active. They got to tour the Louis F. Garland Fire Academy and exercised almost daily. Phase one of the program just ended, but parents can still enroll their children in the second phase. It is free for all children of Defense Department employees ages 9 -12. For more information, contact the Navy Detachment at (325) 654-3574 and ask about the DEFY program.
