DEFY sets youths up for success Published July 25, 2011 By Airman 1st Class Jessica Keith 17th Training Wing Public Affairs GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas-- -- Now in its ninth 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. "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," Epps said. "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 youth 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." Col. J.D. Willis, 17th Training Group Commander, said the program also strives to teach the children how to set and achieve goals. "These children don't fully understand what they can accomplish in life yet," Willis said. "This dedicated group of people is here to show them that, and one of the ways they do that is by teaching them how to set goals." He said that by teaching the children to set smaller goals so they can achieve larger goals the children learn planning and gain more confidence, which leads to higher self-esteem and leadership skills. Dakota Malone, 15, has been a member of the DEFY program for seven years and said the lessons the program taught her have been invaluable. At first, she wanted to continue with the program because of the friendships she made, she said. Later, she came to help and mentor the younger children. "DEFY taught me that even if someone messes up, it's okay," Dakota said. "Everyone makes mistakes sometimes but you have to be able to forgive yourself and try to change yourself. That's what I want to help teach. This program is about saying no to drugs and alcohol, learning teamwork and setting goals." Chief Master Sgt. Robert Puhl, 17th Training Group Superintendent, emphasized the importance of the teamwork skills the children learn in the program. "These youths are learning how to work with and take care of others," Puhl said. "This way, the program teaches them that they have to be making good decisions in their life. Before they can be good wingmen and take care of others they have to be good wingmen to themselves so they are fit to take care of others." More than 20 youths graduated phase one of the program July 20, but parents are still able to enroll their children in the second phase of the program. 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.
