acs green press newsletter - apr 2012

ACS Green Press

Army Community Service (ACS) Fort Drum, April 2012

Mandatory ACS Program-

ming Need To Know -

from your USC

2

Regarding Resilience : Tips, tools and techniques for practicing resiliency everyday

3

ACS Friends and Neighbors Fort Drum Kids

4

Military Kids in the

Community

5

Military Kids in the

Community

6

Monthly Feature: Family Advocacy Program (FAP)

8,9

Child Youth Behavior

Consultants

10

Military Kids on the Move 11

On the Payroll

Advantage Kids After

School Program

12

ACS Events and Classes 13,14

ACS Contacts 15

Inside this issue:

~A tree free newsletter

Direct questions / feedback To: Sarah Lynch : 772-5374 [email protected]

In 1986 Defense Secretary

Caspar Weinberger designated

April as Month of the Military

Child. Since then, every April

our nation honors and recog-

nizes military children as the

young heroes they are.

This month’s newsletter fea-

tures children of Fort Drum

who are part of the nearly 1.7

million children in military

Families of which approxi-

mately 900,000 have had one

or both parents deploy multiple

times. Every day military chil-

dren face, with strength to en-

dure, challenges that are

specific to their lifestyles and

with pride for their parent or

parents who serve our nation

in various military branches. As

Family Members, Teachers,

Civilian Employees, and Vol-

unteers, or anyone who works

Honoring the Military Child with military children, we

have an opportunity to rec-

ognize the sacrifices these

special children make be-

cause of the honorable ser-

vice of their Soldier . Mili-

tary children endure frequent

moves, loss of friendships

and family separation as well

as many other stressors that

stem from the service of their

parent or parents.

Army Community Service

(ACS) offers programs and

services for the entire Family

including programming spe-

cifically designed for chil-

dren. Programs such as the

Exceptional Family Member

Program, New Parent Sup-

port and

Family Advocacy Program are focused on the well be-ing of the Military Child not only in April, but every

month of the year.

The Army Community

Service Family Advocacy

Program is partnering with

CYSS to hold their Child

Safety and ID day at the

Child, Youth and School

Services (CYSS) Youth

Center in honor of Month

of the Military Child on

Saturday April 21 from 1-

4pm. Come on out and

learn about safety, get free

identification kits and take

advantage of the give-

aways. While you’re there,

attend the CYSS Month of

the Military Child Carni-

val. There will be games,

prizes, food and fun for

your child and the child in

you.

ACS salutes Fort Drum’s

Military Children!

EFMP DRAMA CLINIC

For children ages 8-18 on the Autism Spectrum to build

social skills

Adult Training 10:00-12:00

Actor Workshop 12:00-2:30

March 24 and 31, May 26 and June 2

ACS Ball Room

This is a free event

ACS Green Press Apr i l 2012

What You Might Need To Know

from your ACS Unit Service Coordinator (USC)

Army Commu-

nity Service

utilizes a Unit

Service Coordinator (USC) to reach out

to command teams to find out the type

of information and referral needed to

best support their Soldiers and Fami-

lies. The USC goes directly to the unit

and completes a desk side needs assess-

ment to determine unit specific needs.

The USC sits down with command

teams to determine which training is

appropriate to offer based on the De-

ployment Cycle Support Training Ma-

trix, mandatory unit trainings and indi-

vidual needs the command teams iden-

tify based on the overall needs of their

Soldiers at that specific time.

Many of the ACS classes and trainings

are required for commands to pass in-

spections. In fact, AR 608.18 mandates

that all new commanders have a Family

Advocacy Program overview brief within

45 days of assumption of command. AR

608.18 also mandates that troops receive

Domestic Violence Awareness Training

for a minimum of 1 hour as well as Child

Abuse Detection and Awareness Training

for a minimum of 1 hour annually.

The Required Financial Readiness Pro-

gram (FRP) trainings as per AR 608-14-

39 are the Financial Readiness for 1st

Termers (8 hours), Checkbook/Money

Management (Command-referred 1.5

hours) PCS Financial Planning (1.5

hours) and Army Emergency Relief Com-

mand Referral Training (AR 930-4, 1

hour)

Other trainings required include Mobili-

zation and Deployment (Mob/Dep) Pre-

deployment and Reunion Briefings (AR

600-20 5-10, 1-2 hours) and the Reloca-

tion Readiness Program’s (RELO)

Overseas Orientation Brief (AR 608-14-

22, 1.5 hour).

Over the next few weeks The USC will

be contacting their assigned Command

Teams to arrange meetings and to

discuss your readiness needs.

If you are part of your unit command team and would like a visit

from your Unit Service Coordinator,

please contact Sarah Lynch at

772-5374

21st Annual

International Festival of Food

Volunteer Support Fund

Friday, April 20, 2012

4:30-8:00 PM at The Commons

Pick up at will call the night of the event!

All proceeds benefit Fort Drum Community Volunteers

by paying for childcare!

Pre-Sale tickets available

March 7-April 4th

Through Unit Representatives, ACS, Off the Beatin

Path, or

American Red Cross Window at Clark Hall

Tickets: $10 age 12 and older ($15 at the door)

$5 for kids 3-11

Think ACS First!


Regarding Resilience: Tips, tools and techniques for practicing

resilience everyday!

By Jenn Eichner, MRT 772-2848

Hope you had a wonderful February –

filled with hopeful, optimistic

thoughts! Have you been noticing

yourself recognizing Activating

Events? Have you identified any

Thinking Traps or Iceberg Beliefs that

may need closer attention in order to

maintain productivity? Remember,

resilience is a practice not an overall

body of knowledge. Practice makes

perfect!

Today we are going to talk about

Energy Management. What do you

do to relax and alleviate stress in your

life? Are you a runner? Do you knit

or play an instrument? Or are you one

of many that have not yet found that

outlet? Energy Management is a

critical resilience competency as it

helps to build self-regulation. The goal

of Energy Management is to develop

strategies that lower the intensity of

emotions so that you can think and

respond more clearly and with greater

control. The challenge is that no one

can tell you exactly what strategies will

work for you. You may need to take

the time and try a few and see which

you find to be relaxing and calming.

Research has found that in a pinch,

breathing techniques and mental

games may be the best place to start.

These are good strategies that can be

kicked into action as soon as an Activat-

ing Event happens.

Principles for designing mental games

include the following: Must require your

full attention, should be hard and fun and

must be games you can do within a few

minutes. A few examples include: Math

games: Count back from 1,000 by 7s.

Alphabet games: Work your way through

the alphabet, naming someone for each

pair of initials. Categories games: Name

all the sports figures, war heroes, etc. you

can in two minutes. Lyrics: Recite upbeat

song lyrics.

Controlled Breathing techniques for En-

ergy Management include the following:

Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Medita-

tion and Positive Imagery. Give it a try:

Do controlled breathing for two min-

utes

As you breathe in, make fists and

tense your hands and lower arms

Keep your muscles tight for the count

of fifteen

As you exhale, relax the muscles

quickly and concentrate on the feeling

of relaxation

Do twice; take a minute break and

Energy Management then move on to the next muscle

group

For each group tense the muscles

for fifteen seconds, then relax them

for thirty seconds

After each muscle group, take a

minute break before continuing to

the next muscle group

Energy Management is a crucial part of

maintaining a happy, healthy self. Take

the time to find ways to reduce your

stress in a way that works for you. If

you are finding it difficult to do this,

you may want to search your mind for

a Thinking Trap and/or an Iceberg

Belief that may be inhibiting you. For

example, the Me, Me, Me Thinking

Trap may find you feeling as if taking

care of self is not a priority. Or if one

of your Iceberg Beliefs is, “I should be

able to handle it all”, you may find En-

ergy Management a sign of weakness.

In either case, your Thinking Trap

and/or Iceberg Belief would be harm-

ful thinking and should be reevaluated.

Remember the old but very true saying

– you can’t fully take care of others

until you take care of yourself.

Have a great month – good luck and

good thoughts!

Upcoming MRT Dates

April 9 Module 2 9:30am-2:30 pm

May 21 Module 3 9:30am-2:30 pm

June 11 Module 4 9:30am-2:30 pm

August 13 Module 5 9:30am-2:3

All Modules will be held at ACS Times include 1 hour lunch break

refrigerators available for use


ACS Friends and Neighbors-Promoting Community

Since April is The Month of the Mili-

tary Child, Instead of Spouse in the

Spotlight, ACS wanted to introduce our

readers to some of the kids that are part

of our community.

Rashaun Vinson in 11 years old and

in the 5th grade at Carthage Middle

School. His favorite subject at school

is Science. Rashaun’s favorite color is

red; he is extremely sociable, which is

an important trait for any military

child when it comes to making new

friends. Someday, you might see

Rashaun speeding away in a red race

car because, as a small child, Rashaun

dreamed of being a race car driver;

right now he is keeping his options

open.

Rashaun enjoys building with Legos

and putting together model cars.

Rashaun also loves eating, in fact if

you asked what one of the best things

about being in the military is, he

would respond all the activities on

post, especially ones with FOOD!

Rashaun is frequently found on

Tuesdays at the Winners Circle for

Family Night at the Commons.

Tiffany Allen is the middle child and

only girl of the bunch. Tiffany is a 3rd

grader at Carthage Elementary. Tif-

fany doesn’t have a favorite subject at

school, she loves everything about

school and learning. Tiffany’s favorite

colors are pink and purple and is usu-

ally up for anything from riding her

bike to reading, playing video games

and doing arts and crafts. Tiffany

plans to become a fashion when she

grows up. She also hopes to go to

college when she is 13. This may be

attainable because when she was in

Virginia her school skipped her from

the 1st to 3rd grade; she was part of the

Gifted and Talented Program and was

student of the month during the 2009-

10 school year.

Tiffany and her friend started an envi-

ronmental club called, Save the Planet.

They meet once a week and decide

what small projects they can do

around the neighborhood, like pick up

cans and bottles or plant flowers.

Tiffany is a very positive, cheerful

young lady but when asked what she

likes about the military, she states that

she doesn’t like all the moving and

having to make new friends.

Fort Drum Kids in the Spotlight

Rahman White is the youngest of

three children. He attends the

Strong Beginnings Program

through CYSS. Rahman loves any

sport with a ball, playing with Bay-

blades, drawing and playing his

Nintendo DS.

Another thing Rahman absolutely

loves to do is EAT! His favorites

line up with anything his Dad likes.

In fact in the picture above, he is

wearing his Dad’s hat!

When Rahman grows up, he wants

to be in the military just like his

father. Rahman’s mother will tell

you that he is a very happy kid,

who is always singing and saying

hello to the people he meets but

most of all he loves his mama!

Rashaun, Tiffany and Rahman are

the children of Christina and Rah-

man White. Christina is prior mili-

tary and is now a stay at home mom

looking for a job. Rahman has

been in the military for 24 years.


Military Kids in the Community: Making Lasting Impressions

Fort Drum Kids Name the Zoo’s Latest Baby! contest, the children from Chapel An-

nex Drive came up with a long list that

included names like Sponge bob, fluffy,

or even the same name as the child who

suggested the name. For instance, Susie

thought the Kitten should be named-

you guessed it- Susie! The list was nar-

rowed down to the ten most popular

names submitted by the kids and the

name Ninja was suggested by five dif-

ferent kids from Chapel Drive Annex.

The five kids who suggested the name

were, Elias Chavez, Nicolette Austin,

Alonzo Alvarez, Richard Barker and

Nora Bernat had no idea what would

happen next.

The Staff at the zoo narrowed the list

further to five names which included

Linus, Sorky, Climby, Tsavaorite, and

The story began

in September of

2011 when the

Watertown Zoo

received infor-

mation about an

abandoned male

mountain lion

cub being held by the Montana Fish,

Wildlife and Parks Department. Ap-

parently, the cub was found by utility

workers after either being abandoned

or separated from his mother.

Fortunately for the Watertown Zoo,

as well as many young fans, the kitten

came to live in upstate NY.

In January 2012 the zoo had a compe-

tition to name the kitten. After being

prompted by their teacher to enter the

and you what? Ninja was one of the five

names chosen to be voted on by the

public.

Too make a long story short, the five

kids who suggested Ninja as a good

name for the kitten were not the only

people to think that. When Northern

NY cast their votes Ninja was the

winner!

The military kids at Chaple Drive Annex

have enjoyed their moment of fame with

a television news piece as well as a visit

from the zoo staff who brought them

stuffed baby Ninja animals! The Chapel

Drive Center is planning a field trip to

visit Ninja this Spring.

The whole gang with the teacher who

gave them the idea, Ms. Amy Thomas.

“It’s cool and awesome and a perfect name for a lion.” Alonzo Alvarez

“The baby lion lost his mama and he lives at the zoo and he’s cute….we named him Ninja!” Nicolette Austin

“Mountain lions are pretty and

Ninja has blue eyes like mine!”

Nora Bernat

“Ninja is a good name they run

fast and battle and climb big rocks

just like a Ninja.” Elias Chavez

“They can climb to the tippy

top of a tree like a Ninja.”

Richard Baker


Military Kids in the Community: Making Lasting Impressions

bany, two of the four kids that com-

peted were from military families.

Gabriel Smith whose father is sta-

tioned at Fort Drum, took a gold

medal in both gi and no gi categories

while JJ Comely, after only training in

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for three months,

took a bronze in both the gi and no gi

categories.”

I asked Marc to tell me about the ser-

vice he provides to Fort Drum. He

responded, “We work hand in hand

with military kids to help them deal

with the added pressures of having

parents who are deployed and serving

their country.”

Marc’s desire to reach out to the mili-

tary children motivates him to offer

significant military and family dis-

counts. Jiu Jitsu currently offers both

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and boxing for kids.

Both classes teach kids discipline, self

confidence, self-control and provide

an outlet for energy, frustration and

aggression. Children of military fami-

lies have to deal with mom and or dad

being away from home on the front

lines during war. Marc understands

and empathizes with how difficult

dealing with these feelings can be.

“As children they have a hard time

expression how they feel while deal-

ing with these issues. We at Jiu Jitsu

give them a positive, structured ave-

nue to do so, while at the same time

serving as a positive role model.”

Marc also noted that Jiu Jitsu Nation

has a number of active duty Soldiers

who are also instructors at Jiu Jitsu

Nation. “Curtis Mosely holds the

rank of purple belt in Brazilian Jiu

Jitsu and teaches our fundamentals

classes. Our kids boxing program is

taught by SFC Marques Daniels who

is one of our professional fighters as

well as the 2010 All Army Combat-

ive Champion.”

I asked Marc to explain what the

kids gain from his classes and he

said, “Over time spent with these

kids we notice a number of changes.

Most often it has to do with respect

and confidence. They must maintain

good grades as well as keeping a bal-

anced home life which is great to see

in today’s youth.” “Kids who train

in Jiu Jitsu aren’t out getting into

trouble on the streets!” Marc

exclaimed.

While we try to teach our children all

about life,

Our children teach us what life is all

about

~Angela Schwindt

Jiu Jitsu Nation of Watertown: Proudly Serving Military Families

Pictured from left to right with Marc

Stevens: Gabriel Smith, Matt Simmons, JJ

Comley, Carter Comley, Nick Rogers

Jiu-Jitsu Nation located on Arsenal Street in

Watertown, provides beginner and ad-

vanced martial arts classes for ages 4 and up

and accommodates all skill levels.

Owner, trainer and competitor, Marc

Stevens and his instructors exhibit a real

passion for mixed martial arts and for the

students they teach. I recently spoke with

Marc about the military kids in his program

and he had this to say:

“Here at Jiu Jitsu Nation our kids program

currently has about 50 “little ninjas,” as I

like to call them, of which about half are

military kids. In fact, this past weekend at

the North American Grapplers Association

(NAGA) NY State Championships in Al-

It’s not what you think

you are that holds your

back, it’s what you think

you are not.”

Denis Waitley


The Family Advocacy Program is a

strength based military community

agency that provides a variety of holistic

and educational programs to Soldiers

and their Families. The program serves

to assist in the development of strong

Army Families as well as aid in the pre-

vention and treatment of Family vio-

lence.

The Family Advocacy Team is dedicated

to preventing spouse and child abuse

through awareness, education, prompt

reporting, intervention and treatment.

The overall mission is to provide ser-

vices to support readiness of Soldiers

and their Families to promote self-

reliance, resilience and stability in order

to enhance relationships and improve

quality of life.

Here at Fort Drum, we offer a number of

exceptional educational programs to help

support Families in all stages. The New

Parent Support Program consists of a

team of professional nurses and social

workers who provide supportive and car-

ing services to military Families with chil-

dren from birth to three years of age. Ser-

vices offered include: home visits, infant

massage, and Parent’s Alone Support

Group.

The Family Advocacy Parent Educators

offer parenting classes designed to give

parents the knowledge they need to estab-

lish healthy routines, positive disciplines,

communication skills, and nutrition for

healthy growth and development. Classes

offered include: Baby Boot Camp,

Terrific Toddlers (Birth to four),

Middle Years (Four-Twelve), Scream

Free Parenting, and For Fathers

Only.

Don’t Stress! Family Advocacy also

offers skill enhancing classes to help

build resilience and coping skills for

everyday situations. Services of-

fered include: Resilience Classes,

Stress Management, Conflict Resolu-

tions, Reintegration Classes, Anger

Management, and Couples Commu-

nication.

Monthly Feature: Army Community Center Family Advocacy Program

Providing a Framework for Success through Parenting Workshops Dani Reed Family Advocacy

I often hear parents say they wish chil-

dren were born with manuals; to make

raising them easier. Here at the Family

Advocacy Program we don’t necessary

have the manual; however we do have

workshops and classes to give parents

the tools to become better parents.

The military community includes ap-

proximately 1.8 million children and

youths under the age of 18 nationwide.

Raising a happy, healthy child is one of

the most challenging jobs a parent can

have-- and also one of the most reward-

ing. Good parenting helps foster empa-

thy, honesty, self-reliance, self-control,

kindness, cooperation, and cheerfulness,

while allowing the natural consequences

of a child's behavior to do the teaching.

Our programs include:

For Fathers Only, this 8 hour work-

shop is designed to give fathers tools on

positive discipline and building self es-

teem in a stimulating environment.

Through lecture, workshop exercises,

small group activities and one-on-one

coaching, Fathers will be challenged,

prodded and encouraged to redesign

their approach to their parenting skills.

They will become a more effective par-

ent and more deeply connected to the

most important people in their lives,

their Family.

Terrific Toddlers is for parents with

children birth to 4 years old. During

this 6 hour workshop we’ll talk about

discipline (teach and protect) and man-

aging the array of new emotions includ-

ing temper tantrums. And we'll discuss

predictable sleep challenges, talk about

nursing and weaning toddlers, explore

the possibility of another baby and re-

view community resources for toddlers

and their parents.

Middle Years is designed for children 5

-12 years old. This 6 hour workshop is

designed to give parents strategies on

positive discipline, sibling rivalry, com-

munication skills, establishing family

rules and nutrition for healthy growth

and development.

Baby Boot Camp, is a 7 hour work-

shop designed to assist new parents that

have children ages 0-3 years old and ex-

pecting parents with information regard-

ing basics of infant care. Topics include:

infant massage, baby proofing the

home, breast feeding, good nutrition,

(Continued on page 8)


and much, much more.

Scream Free Parenting is not just

about lowering your voice. It’s about

learning to calm your emotional reac-

tions and focus on your own behavior

more than your kids’ behavior. This 6

hour workshop gives parents tools for a

lifelong parenting process. It involves

the acquisition of new knowledge,

skills, abilities and attitudes towards the

learning process for parents.

Our parenting workshops are worth-

while for every parent, because they can

help you do the best job possible in

raising your children, building trust,

improving your confidence in your par-

enting ability, this is the most important

job you will ever have. Become in-

volved and contact FAP: 772-4244.

(Continued from page 7) We also participate special events like

the upcoming Child Identification and

Safety Day at CYSS, 21 April 1:00-4:00.

For most parents, nothing is more im-

portant than the safety of their children.

Keeping kids safe is everybody's re-

sponsibility, so whether you're a parent

or not we all need to be aware and do

all we can to protect children. So the

first step in the educational process is to

raise the awareness level of parents.

Participating vendors will be there to

offer information and answers ques-

tions. Children will have fun at the

Month of the Military Child Carnival

and the Special Teddy Bear Clinic for a

medical checkup where kids will receive

a certificate of good health. A great day

involving fun for parents and children,

no reservation is necessary, this event

will be enjoyed by the entire family.

Parenting Workshops Continued...

New Parent Support Program– A Helping Hand

The Family Advocacy Program

(FAP) New Parent Support Pro-

gram was developed to help mili-

tary families with young children to

adapt to parenthood and to thrive

as healthy families. The program

staff consists of Registered nurses and

social workers who offer home visits,

classes, playgroups and workshops for

new parents.

One of the more popular classes of-

fered by the New Parent Support

Program is the Infant Massage Class.

On a quarterly basis, New Parent

Support Home Visitors provides

an Infant Massage educational 4-

week Workshop series. It is made

available to parents with infants,

from 8 weeks to 8 months old.

Grandparents and expectant moth-

ers and fathers are welcome, as

well. The workshop is held at an

on-Post Community within the

housing areas. The most recent

workshop was held during the

month of March.

The benefits of infant massage in-

clude:

RELAXATION: The massage

releases tension, fussiness and irri-

tability. It can aid in the digestive

process and help reduce colic and

gas. Massage is a wonderful way to

lessen stress in both the infant and

the parents.

ENHANCES BONDING:

Massage conveys nurturing and

love, the essential ingredients for

emotional and physical growth and

well-being.

AIDS GROWTH AND DEVEL-

OPMENT: Studies have shown in-

creased weight and immune function.

Myelination of nerves is also in-

creased. All of these components, in

turn, are needed for brain and muscle

development.

PROMOTES HEALING: Massage

helps aid teething distress and im-

proves lung congestion for little ones,

with a cold.

PROMOTES COMMUNICA-

TION: Parents become more aware

of baby’s non-verbal cues. One-on-

one communication instills a message

of love and security.

IMPROVES BABY’S SLEEP: As

Whatever you vividly

imagine, ardently desire,

sincerely believe and

enthusiastically act

upon…

Must inevitably come to

pass

Paul J. Meyer

Recognized as Most

admired Man of the

Decade


the infant learns to relax and release

stress, sounder and longer sleep is

often the result. Whether you are

interested in learning massage or

you would just like someone to talk

to about your successes and con-

cerns as a new parent. The New

Parent Support Team can fill in

when sometimes your sister, mom

or Grandma aren't able to be there.

(Continued from page 8) If you would like to learn more

about the program and what they

have to offer, give them a call.

Contact Ms. Terry Herzog for infor-

mation at (315) 772-0748.

New Parent Support Continued...

A new baby is like the

beginning of all thing,

hope, a dream of

possibilities.

`anonymous

ACS Welcomes baby Chase Aidan Brown! Born

February 22 2012. Chase and his mom, who is a

Soldier with 66 MP CID, came by to pick up their

baby bundle and give the ACS staff a chance to see

his beautiful face! More good news for mom– She

just found out she was promoted to Staff Sergeant!

Baby Bundles are a terrific

program for expecting

parents!

If you are an E-5 or below,

expecting a baby, register for

your free baby bundle full of

goodies for you and your

new baby!

There is no rank restriction

if you are expecting multiple

births!

for more information call

772-4244

Child & Youth Behavioral Military

Family and Life Consultants (CYB-

MFLC) available to help you and your

children with situational, short-term,

problem solving support. All of the

CYB-MFLCs are Masters and Ph.D.

level counselors who can address the

following types of issues:

School Adjustments

Deployment and Separation

Reunion Adjustment

Sibling and Parent Communication

Behavioral Concerns

Fear, Grief and Loss

Daily Life issues

All of these services and more are

available to you, free of charge with

complete confidentiality. The CYB-

MFLCs does not keep files or report

findings with the exception of duty-to-

warn situations. They are simply here

to help make the Military child’s path

manageable and enjoyable, which will

serve to be a great support to parents

as well. Because of their expertise,

ACS Mobilization and Deployment

has also paired with the CYB MFLCs

to provide pre and post-deployment

trainings for children ages 6 through

18 years of age.

If you feel you could benefit from the

CYB MFLC program, please contact

them at 315-523-3141for more

program information.


The Military child is often regarded as

being extremely resilient. They adapt and

overcome many unique challenges, such

as, multiple moves, deployments and

changing schools to just name a few.

Many studies show that the Military child

becomes a very well adjusted adult, but

the path is not always easy for the chil-

dren or the parents. Did you know that

support is readily available to you?

Do you have a child or young adult who

you feel could benefit from discussing

their challenges with a counselor who

specializes in child and youth behavior?

Did you know that you may not need to

look any further than our on-post Child,

Youth and School Age Services (CYSS)?

Currently, Fort Drum CYSS as four (4)

Child Youth Behavior Military Family Life Consultants: Here to Support the Military Child

Spring Clean Your Closet

Annual ACS Spring Clothing Drive

Donation Drop Times and Locations:

Community Centers-April 2-23, Mon-Fri 8-5 pm

ACS - April 9-23, Mon-Fri 7:30-4:30 pm

Giveaway:

27 April from 1:00-4:00 or until everything is gone

For More information: Call Sarah Lynch 772-5374

our donations are appreciated!


Moving is an accepted part of being

in the military. To adults who antici-

pate, expect and sometimes want to

move, moving can be both an adven-

ture and a trying experience. If moving

is an adventure for the adult, what does

moving mean to a child?

For some children, moving can also be

viewed as an adventure; however some

children can experience a range of

emotions from worry to excitement,

sadness, curiosity, stress and hope. It

can also mean leaving friends, going to

a new school, and feelings of fear.

Preparation and careful planning in all

areas can help make moving a positive

experience for all.

The best thing you can do is visit your

Relocation Readiness office! They can

give you information on your next duty

station and help educate and guide you

through the moving process. The less

anxious you are the less anxious your

children will be. Remain optimistic and

positive about the moving experience.

Do your homework so you can “sell”

the new community to your child. Use

www.militaryinstallations.dod.mil to get

more information about the new loca-

tion. This web page will link you to

everything you need including informa-

tion on schools, housing, employment

and the local community.

When registering your children in their

new schools have copies of their tests,

writing samples and their school re-

cords. If your children are young, in-

clude samples of their artwork and

printing. It is also a good idea to copy

the front, back and cover page of their

textbooks. This helps your new school

place students in the right classes. The

web page www.schoolquest.org is a

secure storage site for students’ educa-

tional, extra-curricular, award, volun-

teer and work information. Please

note, though, this NOT a replacement

for a school transcript. It can be

viewed as a safe, centralized virtual

"file drawer" where a student (or par-

ent) can keep track of all the details

that not only difficult to organize, but

so necessary when students move or

apply for college, jobs or military ser-

vice.

Above all TALK to your kids!! Have

frank discussions BEFORE, DUR-

ING, and AFTER the move. Fear of

the unknown exists before and after

you get to your new location. It’s im-

portant to keep the lines of communi-

cation open. Share your thoughts and

let your child know that you’ll work

through things together.

For more information on moving con-

tact the Relocation Program at 772-

6566

[email protected].

Military Kids on the Move! A Relocation Guide for Parents

Every year millions of teens work in

part time or summer jobs. Summer

employment provides a great opportu-

nities to develop skills, enhance re-

sponsibility, and learn the value of

money. The Employment Readiness

Program (ERP), in conjunction with

the CYSS Hired program, works to

teach skills such as resume writing, job

searching, and interviewing to the

teens participating in the program.

ERP can also meet one on one with

teens to assist with their personal job

search regardless of participation in

the Hired! Program. Some of the

workshops and classes offered by

ERP could benefit teens and enhance

their marketability both now and in

the future.

Computers for the Workforce is a

free career development series offer-

ing classes in Internet, Word and

Excel. Some basics skills in Word

and Excel can benefit a teen whose

summer job is in an office setting.

The Build Your Own Business

Workshop is great for a teen who is

interested in opening a landscaping

business, or who might be the next

Mark Zuckerberg with an idea like

Facebook.

Annually, ERP hosts a career fair just

for teens. In fact, the Teen Career

Fair will be held on 4 April at the

ACS from 10 am -2 pm. The Teen

Career Fair has local business repre-

sentatives who have summer posi-

tions to recruit for. Often the teens

are hired directly from this Career

Fair.

If you would like more information

or to schedule an appointment,

please contact ERP at 772-9611 or

772-1090.

Think ACS First!

Did You Know the ACS Employment Readiness

Program Serves Teens?

http://www.militaryinstallations.dod.mil

http://www.schoolquest.org

mailto:[email protected]


Congratulations to the following Employment Readiness clients who have re-cently landed a job!

Alyssa Evans stream Joanna Brown Fort Drum Mountain Community Homes Molly Manning USO Kristen Crabtree Fairfield Inn and Suites Sharon Grillett Pier 1 Crystal Smith Hilton Garden Inn If you are one of our clients who has recently become employed, we want to hear about it! Give us a call so we can highlight your accomplishment and inspire others!

Look Who’s on the Payroll: Employment Readiness Success Stories!

Advantage After School Program -Where Education and Fun Come Together

Nearly 300 local youths are finding safe, educational, and fun after school activities “right in their own school-yard” at the Indian River School Ad-vantage After School Program. Designed by the Army in an effort to reduce military deployment stress, the program targets schools and communi-ties with populations of military chil-dren. The goal is to reduce the conflict soldiers encounter between mission workforce requirements and parental responsibilities. It allows Army Families to feel secure knowing their children are in a safe environment learning valuable skills under the supervision of well-trained staff and professional edu-cators.

However, Army dependents are not the

only beneficiaries of the program.

Funded jointly through the New York

State Office of Children and Family

Services, and the US Army Child and

Youth Services Army Youth Programs

in Your Neighborhood (AYPYN) ini-

tiative, any child enrolled at Indian

River Middle School may participate at

no cost.

The Indian River School District and

the Children’s Home of Jefferson County, contracted to oversee the pro-gram, have teamed up to create diverse, fun, and exciting activities that meet the needs and interests of sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students. It helps them achieve social, emotional, physi-cal, and academic success while devel-oping healthy lifestyles and behaviors. Research has shown without super-vised, structured activities during the after school hours, youth are at greater risk of being victims of crime or be-coming a participant in juvenile crime and risky behavior including alcohol and drug use. AYPYN is designed to provide students with dynamic activi-ties which stimulate them intellectually and increase self reliance - all while having a great time with their peers. A wide variety of activities span the range of nearly every child’s interests. Creative Wear enables youth to design, create, and sew clothing. Two culinary arts sessions focus on preparing foods from different regions and working with chocolate. Ballroom Dancing is an amazing opportunity for kids to learn to dance to various styles and rhythms. National Treasures exposes them to the lifelong hobby of coin collecting and

the tools to help them find the rare coins that may pass through their hands. A healthy snack is served while stu-dents enjoy positive interaction with their classmates. They are also given time to complete homework assign-ments. Tutoring with certified teachers for any student needing extra help is also available. Kids can register for up to four tutoring sessions per week. Special interest clubs engage the chil-dren in specific activities and events targeted to individual interests. Some of the programs offered include Life Skills Development Club which focuses on responsibility, respect, and building healthy relationship skills. Community Service Club identifies and organizes projects which allow the students to serve their school and community as well as The Speakers Forum The Youth Council and others. Advantage After School runs Monday through Friday from 2:15 to 5:15 PM. Program regis-tration forms are available in the Indian River Middle School office. For more information call Paul Passino, Program Director, at (315)778-6252.

Local Business Shout Out:

ACS Classes and Events for the First Two Weeks in April DATE Class Time Location/Details

Monday April 2: Newcomers Orientation 0900-1130 ACS

Survivor Outreach Family Night 1800-2000 ACS

DEADLINE FOR AER SCHOLARSHIPS FOR DEPENDENT CHILDREN

Tuesday April 3: Drum Family Welcome Tour 0930-1400 Departs ACS

Stress Management 1330-1530 ACS

Wednesday April 4: 1st Term Financial Readiness 0830-1600 Call for location

Teen Job Fair 1000-1300 ACS

Thursday April 5: Mother’s To Be Breakfast 0900-0900 ACS

Employment 101` 0930-1130 ACS

CONUS PCS Brief 1530-1600 Clark Hall A2-A6

An Evening at the Spa Gold Star Wives 1600-2100 The Spa Fort Drum

Friday April 6: In her Shoes: 0930-1130 ACS

Living with Domestic Violence

Hearts Apart Support Group 0930-1200 ACS

Monday April 9: Master Resilience Module 2 0930-1430 ACS

Stalking Awareness 1330-1530 ACS

Tuesday April 10: ESOL Class 0900-1200 ACS

Drum Family Welcome Tour 0930-1400 Departs ACS

VMIS 101 0900-1000 Ed Center rm 104

Build Your Business Workshop 0930-1130 ACS

For Fathers Only Workshop 100-1300 ACS

Scream Free Parenting 1230-1300 CYSS

CONUS PCS Brief 1530-1600 Clark Hall A2-86

Thrift Savings Plan 1400-1530 ACS

Wednesday April 11: 1st Term Financial Readiness 0830-1600 Call for location

Career Fair Prep Career Dev Seminar 0930-1130 ACS

Key Caller 100-1130 ACS

Key Caller 1400-1530 ACS

Thursday April 12: ESOL Class 0900-1200 ACS

For Fathers Only Parenting Class 1100-1300 ACS


Friday April 13: Insurance Workshop 0900-1300 ACS



ACS Classes and Events for the Last Two Weeks in April DATE Class Time Location/Details

Monday April 16: AFTB Spring Marathon 0900-1600 ACS

Resume Writing Computer Lab 0930-1030 ACS


Anger Management 1330-1530 ACS

AFTB Spring Marathon 0900-1600 ACS

DRUM Family Welcome Tour 0930-1400 ACS

EFMP Support Group 1130-1300 ACS

CONUS PCS Brief 1530-1600 Clark Hall, A2-86

Wednesday April 18: 1st Term Financial Readiness 0830-1600 Call for Location


Positive Discipline 1030-1130 CYSS

Positive Discipline 1230-1330 CYSS

Thursday April 19: ESOL class 0900-1200 ACS


Overseas PCS Brief 0930-1100 ACS

Volunteer of the Month 1030-1130 ACS

Volunteer of the Year Ceremony 1700-2000 Commons


Friday April 20: AFTB Spring Marathon 0900-1600 ACS

Autism Support Group 0900-1100 ACS

International Spouses Group 0930-1200 ACS

Monday April 23: Budget Management 0900-1200 ACS

Advanced Key Caller 1300-1430 ACS


Computer Basics for Job Seekers 09301130 ACS

Introduction to Word

In her Shoes: Living w/Dom Viol 1400-1600 ACS


Wednesday April 25: 1st Term Financial Readiness 0830-1600 Call For Location

Car Buying Course 1400-1500 ACS

Thursday April 26: ESOL class 0900-1200 ACS

Federal Employment Class 0930-1130 ACS

Family Wellness Support Group 1000-1100 ACS

For Fathers Only Parenting Class 1100-1300 ACS

Computer Basics Excel 1300-1500 ACS


Family Wellness Support Group 1800-1900 ACS

Friday April 27: In Her Shoes: Living w/Dom Viol 0930-1130 ACS

Monday April 30: Child Abuse Training 0900-1030 CYSS

OPSEC For Families 1030-1200 ACS

Event Planning 1300-1430 ACS

Army Community Service

P4330 Conway Road

Fort Drum, New York

13602

Army Emergency Relief 772-6560, 772-8873 or 772-2855

Army Family Team Building http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000122037720

772-6710, 772-9229

Army Volunteer Program Coordinator http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fort-Drum-Army-volunteer-Corps/13651504365912

772-2899

Exceptional Family Member Program http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fort-Drum-FMWR-Exceptional-Family-Member-Program /104951319542718

772-5488, 772-0819

Employment Readiness Program http://www.facebook.com/#!/fortdrumemployment

772-9611, 772-2737

Family Advocacy Program (New Parent Support Program) SAPRP

772-4244, 772-6929, 772-2279

772-0596, 772-4070, 772-0748

772-5605, 772-5914

Financial Readiness Program http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fort-Drum-financial-Readiness-ACS/1956662120473

772-0050, 772-5196, 772-8526

Information and Referral 772-6556, 772-6557

Military & Family Life Consultants 212-6919

Mobilization and Deployment http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fort-Drum-Mobiliztion-and-Deployment/178420512193448?ref=ts&v=wall

772-2848, 772-0470, 772-2919

Outreach http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fort-Drum-ACS-Outreach/180373271991692

772-5374

Relocation Readiness http:// www.facebook.com/pages/Fort -Drum -Relocation -Readiness Program/171335822906429

772-5475, 772-6553, 772-6902

772-6566

Soldier Family Assistance Center http://www.facebook.com/Fort.Drum.FMWR/SFAC

772-7781

Survivor Outreach Services http://www.facebook.com/fortdrumsurvivoroutreachservices

772-6357

acs green press newsletter - apr 2012

Health & Medicine

nizes military children

military stem

military child carni

multiple acs

acs classes

military child onmilitary

acs green press

unit specific needs