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Supporting Military Youth in Minnesota Schools and
Communities
Minnesota Deployment Cycle Support
Laura Poppen Sarah Stille
State Youth Program Coordinator Operation Military Kids
8180 Belden Blvd Youth Specialist
Cottage Grove, MN Cottage Grove, MN
651.268.8695 785.313.3569
NG Youth Program Mission:
To Support the
Emotional, Social, and Academic needs of
National Guard Children and Youth
Military Impact in MinnesotaA New Reality
Army National Guard Air National Guard Army Reserve Air Force Reserve Navy Reserve Marine Reserve Army Corps of Engineers Active Duty Contractors
15,000 dependent children Brothers, sisters, relatives,
teachers, pastors, and other community members
Every County in Minnesota is home to military families
No Active Duty Bases/Installations in Minnesota
Issues for Geographically Dispersed Youth
Teens: Increased care of home and younger siblings Behavioral changes, peer pressure, lower self-esteem Difficulty understanding and dealing with media
School-Age Youth: Behavioral changes Increased anxiety Change in school performance
Zero-4: Feeling of abandonment and loss Anxiety issues regarding safety of deployed loved one Access to affordable and quality childcare
Recommendations
Tell children about the deployment Use honest, age-appropriate explanations Do not make promises you can not keep Spend individual time with each child Develop a plan for staying in touch Say good-bye to children, do not slip away Inform teachers, child care providers, and
others of upcoming deployment
Child Care
Operation Military Child Care Child Care Subsidy during deployment Contact www.NACCRRA.org, 1.800.424.2246
MN Child Care Respite Program 8 hours of free Child Care per month during
deployment Contact www.mnchildcare.org or Julie Wasiluk,
651.290.9704 ext 119
Youth Development
Parents As Teachers/Heroes At Home Certified Parent Educators provide playgroups
and conduct individual Family Home Visits Focus group: Families with youth ages prenatal-
three, playgroups are open to all ages Free and accessible at any stage of deployment
cycle Connect with other Military families with young
children. Contact: April Olson, [email protected]
Terri Konczak [email protected]
Youth Development National Guard Youth Camp
www.mngyc.com Operation Purple Camp
www.operationpurple.org, McGregor, St. Croix Military Kids Camp
www.campstcroix.org Operation Military Kids
Camps and Retreats www.operationmilitarykids.org Support youth at events, FRG’s, FRA, FPA, MIRT Age-appropriate curriculum with intentional life skill
building themes
Student Support
Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) www.militarychild.org
Study Strong Free on-line tutoring for Military youth through
www.myarmyonesource.com/cyss_tutor Scholarship Resources Our Military Kids
$500 grant for After-School activities that are not school related
www.ourmilitarykids.org
Student Support
Minnesota State Teen Panel (MNTP) Who can apply:
Teens ages 13-17, who can commit to 2 years and who will represent Military connected youth in the state
Teens who show leadership within their communities and want to make a difference,
Do 8 hours volunteer service a mont Teens who can commit to monthly conference calls and 3
meetings per year Focus is on educational, fun, and humanitarian service
learning projects, teen led with adult guidance
Student Support
Yellow Ribbon Schools To train and empower school officials to support Service Members and
their families during deployment and reintegration Raise awareness in educators, administration and staff of the
common challenges military youth face and know available resources
Create an environment that is sensitive to the additional stress deployment creates in the life of a child
Develop a peer/youth involvement network that is organized to support military families and youth
Increase flexibility for the military youth to maximize time spent with Service Member when leave is taken during the school year
10 Things Military Teens Want You to Know
We are proud of our parents We think about war and we know what it means We may move a lot We take on a lot of responsibility We live in the community We appreciate recognition of our family’s service We value diversity and new experiences We miss our parents In a lot of ways we’re just like other teens We serve too
