Photo By Spc. Alonzo Clark | North Carolina National Guard (NCNG) Child and Youth Program and Sgt. Major (Ret.)...... read more read more
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For many kids in the United States, the summer break is quickly ending. Beginning a new school year in a new grade leaves some kids left excited or nervous about meeting their teachers, making new friends, and strengthening their academic skills.
However, this year may lead students to express their feelings about school in an uncommon way in amidst of the current pandemic our nation is facing – Coronavirus (COVID-19).
Thanks to the NCNG’s Child and Youth Program vigilance, Soldiers and Airmen’s families will not have to add pressure for the preparation of their child’s educational year.
“This whole COVID thing put a damper on the event. The event in the past was huge,” said David Nobles, NCNG Family Programs Outreach Coordinator. Within this week, he picked up between 60 to 75 boxes of school supplies twice from several local Dollar Tree, Inc.
Last year, over 200 students met at Elks Lodge in Raleigh, N.C. where they had a barbecue, swam in the pool, played trivial games, and did other entertaining activities.
“This year we were supposed to start with the theme called, ‘Soar into a New School Year’ where we are going to have paper airplane building and paper airplane races,” said Mrs. Kristi Wagner, NCNG Child and Youth Program Coordinator.
Several sponsors such as Operation Homefront, a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization that assist service member families, John Deere, and Soldiers and Airmen Assistance Fund (SAAF) supported their efforts for the drive-in can be a success at different National Guard units.
Since July 5- August 6, Operational Homefront partnered with Dollar Tree, Inc. where they present their customers to donate school supplies for National Guard children who are going back to school. As for SAAF, this year is their first time participating, where they purchased a total of 1500 backpacks.
Plenty of supplies such as pencils, notebooks, and paper were the common necessities that filled up each student’s backpack. Wagner hopes that the students will find skillful use in the supplies given this year despite how the educational system curriculum arranged.
“We are keeping our fingers crossed,” said Wagner. “Most school districts are only going back to the first quarter, which is only half of their semester. We’re hoping we will get the kids back to school.”
NCNG Child and Youth Program goal are to continue to do what they can to keep the students to remain positive. From having virtual camps, family trivia and making recipes, the resiliency training comes in hand.
“So we did a live ‘Hunt the Good Stuff Training’, where they create treasure boxes filled with things where they can put positive things in,” said Wagner. “Hunt the Good Stuff across the board is to get kids to think positive with all the changes and not knowing what’s going on will set them on the right path.”
The NCNG Child and Youth Program support guardsmen with family readiness outreach, youth educational resource and encouragement. Be on the lookout for a school supply drive-in coming near your National Guard Armories until the end of August 2020.
Follow their Facebook page at North Carolina Guard Family Programs.
| Date Taken: | 08.13.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 08.14.2020 14:25 |
| Story ID: | 376018 |
| Location: | RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 121 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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