A4 APG News • Thursday, June 21, 2018

The APG Child and Youth Servicessummer campprogrambegins thisweek atthe APGNorth (Aberdeen) andAPG South(Edgewood) youth centers.

APG North (Aberdeen) facility directorAnnieHite remindsmotorists towatch outfor children who will be walking to theAPGBowlingCenter in themorning.

She also askedmotorists to “bemindful”of the buses that will be transporting thechildren to Shore Pool.

NewactivitiesHite said she is looking forward to new

activities hosted at the youth center. Thisincludes an inflatable obstacle coursecarnival and an outdoor foamparty.

For middle school campers, representa-tives from the “Say it With Music,”company will help the children create amusic video.

“Energy Eric” will host an interactivescience show and will teach the campershow to create “slime.”

“The kids are really into slime; I thinktheywill have a good time,” she said.

Devin Beatty, a returning summer campcounselor who supervises all age groups,said he enjoys teaching the children sportsand educational games.

“Working with kids, everyday is some-thing different,” he said. “I wouldn’t wantto do anything else.”

Beatty, who attended the APG Northyouth center as a child, is currently anapplied mathematics major at HarfordCommunity College. Based on his positiveexperienceas a counselor, he is consideringa career as amathematics teacher, he said.

GlendaWeaver, a program assistant, hasworked with children for 35 years. Thesummer camp program, she said, has anarray of fun activities for children likesports, artsandcrafts, gamingandperform-ing arts. Science, technology, engineeringand mathematics, or STEM, activities arealso popular at the center.

“Youth will get a chance to learn as wellas have fun,” she said.

Weaver added that she likes teaching thechildren life skills like gardening andcookingduring thesummercampprogram.

Campers will also have the opportunityto attend field trips. Upcoming trips

include the Philadelphia Zoo; ChesapeakeChildren’s Museum in Annapolis; and theHawksHill Creamery inHarfordCounty.

Recent college graduate Sarah North, areturning summer camp counselor whosupervises middle school students, at-tended the APG South youth center withher siblings as a child.

“What I likemost about being a counsel-or is being able to guide the children in apositive way,” she said. “Reinforcing goodhabits and good decision making whilehaving fun.”

North,whoearnedabachelor’sdegree insports marketing from Shepherd Uni-versity, said she enjoys planning differentactivities for all age groups.

Camp counselor Wendy Jensen, a for-mer teacher, said she is looking forward toworkingwith school age andmiddle schoolstudents.

“They have a lot of energy and arecreative,” she said. “They have such a greatoutlook on theworld.”

For more information about CYS pro-grams, visit https://aberdeen.armymwr.com/categories/cys-services.

Summer camp program beginsMotorists are reminded towatch out for children

By Rachel Ponder

APG News

“Gizmo D. Robot” entertains children during the 2017 summer camp program at the APGSouth (Edgewood) youth center.

COURTESY PHOTO

Brooklyn Knight, then 7, performs a scienceexperiment during the 2017 summer campprogram at the APG North (Aberdeen)youth center.

COURTESY PHOTO

Donovan Ballou, then 8, makes butter dur-ing the 2017 summer camp at the APGNorth (Aberdeen) youth center.

COURTESY PHOTO

Haley Binebrink, then 9, conducts a balloonscience experiment during the 2017 APGsummer camp program.

COURTESY PHOTO

U.S. Army Spc. Kayla Riehl was recentlyselected as the Aberdeen Proving GroundSoldier of theYear.

AnativeofColoradoSprings,Colo.,Riehlis a PetroleumSupply Specialist attached tothe20thChemical, Biological,Radiological,Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) Com-mand’s Headquarters and HeadquartersCompanywhere she is the unit armorer forthe command.

Riehl was attending the Army’s BasicLeadership Course when she learned shehad been selected as theAPGSoldier of theYear. “Iwas ecstatic,” she said uponhearingthe news. Her selection as Soldier of theYear was no surprise to her first linesupervisor, Sgt. Henry Ramos, who firstnominated Riehl to compete for Soldier ofthe Quarter in November 2017. “Her out-standing leadership skills, being responsi-ble and reliable were only a few of thereasons why she was selected among herpeers to represent HHC and the 20thCBRNECommand at the board,” he said.

With a very busy schedule and littlenotice, Riehl prepared for the APG Soldierof the Year competition in April. “Shedemonstrated a tremendous level of knowl-edge in every subject,” said Ramos whohelped her prepare for the board. “Shemanaged to impress board members withher level of confidence.”

Riehl had oneword for how she felt aftershecompletedtheSoldierof theYearboard,“Relief.” Shewasnotified of her selection asSoldier of the Year during Armed Forcesweek inMay.

Riehl graduated from Mesa Ridge HighSchool in 2010 and briefly attended AdamsState University in Alamosa, Colo. Shebegan her military career in the Air Forcebut went into the reserves so she couldattend college full-time. However, sheenlisted as an active duty Soldier in July2015 so she could provide for her young sonanddaughter.

She continues to work on her degreewhile on active duty taking classes throughAmerican Military University. She plans toearn her doctorate in child psychology andwants toworkwith special needs children.

But for now, she is focused on her Armycareer. “I chose tobea fueler because, at thetime I was trying to enlist, there weren’tmany options left. However it wasn’t aboutthe job at the time, and I really wanted tojust be a part of theArmy.”

Riehl says her goal is to retire as a

sergeant major and wants to redirect thefocus of her career. “Anything that willallowme to helpwith the development andtraining of Soldiers is what I want to do,”she said.

“She is anoutstandinghard coreSoldier,”according to Ramos. “Her dedication to

duty and level of knowledge about her jobmakes her a key asset to our HHC family.Her motivation is always reflected everydayatwork. Shehas the rightmentality andpassion for her job and I am confidentenough to say that one day she will bepromoted to sergeantmajor.”

20th CBRNE Command Soldierselected as APG Soldier of the YearBy Suzan Holl20th CBRNE Public Affairs

Aberdeen Proving Ground Soldier of the Year, Spc. Kayla Riehl, is presented with the Army Commendation Medal by Brig. Gen. Jim Bon-ner, commander, 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) Command, May 31 at the command’s monthlyaward ceremony at the Edgewood Chapel. Riehl is attached to the 20th CBRNE Headquarters and Headquarters Company and is now inthe running for U.S. Forces Command Soldier of the Year.

PHOTO BY SUZAN HOLL, 20TH CBRNE PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Community members are asked to send all submissions for the APG News to usarmy.apg.imcom.mbx.apg-pao@mail.mil, and CC

amanda.r.rominiecki.civ@mail.mil. Type APG NEWS SUBMISSION in the Subject Line. You should receive a response within three

business days letting you know that the submission has been received. If you do not receive a response , please call 410-278-7274 to

inquire.

Send newspaper submissions to the APG News