YES program offered to military dependants

  • Published
  • By Sarah Woodham and Rachel Smith
  • 2d Bomb Wing Public Affairs interns
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  The Youth Employment Skills Program, developed at Barksdale in 2000, is an organization aimed towards helping youth develop work ethics and employment skills by volunteering on base. 

The main purpose of the program is to help students earn $1,000 grant for college to be used their freshman year. Air Force Aid develops and funds this program, which is coordinated by the teen director at the Youth Center, Joseph Sonney. The Y.E.S. Program is a great way to get kids out of the house and as Mr. Sonney states, "it gets the kids involved, gets them off of the streets, where they could be getting into trouble."
As most people realize, "it takes money to get into college," Sonney said. "I want [Air Force dependents] to be able to go to college." 

All students interested in the program must have at least one active-duty parent in the Air Force and must be in high school or entering the ninth grade. Out of more than 1,500 children on base, there are only eleven participants currently in the program. 

One of the program's youth is Joesph Ingram Jr., 16, son of Master Sgt. Joseph Ingram, 2d Bomb Wing Unit Deployment Manager, has been participating for over a year and has earned more than 700 hours of service by working at different locations on base. 

"I'm involved in the program because the money and grant will help me go to college," Mr. Ingram said. 

Youth participating in the program have the opportunity to learn job and life skills useful for future. Students involved in the Y.E.S. Program are benefited not only by the grant to college, but also learning how to communicate with others in the working environment. Students in the program can learn how to type and file properly, deal with customers and communicate with children just to name a few. 

Most Air Force bases offer this program, making it easier for participants to transfer their hours so they can continue gaining more. Although this may not happen in some cases, many members can earn their hours in about two and a half months, which is about four hours a day, five days a week. A volunteer does not have to work all 250 hours, but they will only receive money according to the hours gained. 

As Mr. Sonney states, "This is just easy money." A great result would be if every child eligible participated in this program. 

"I would like for more kids to be involved, to get this money to go to school," Mr. Sonney said. "College is not something that everyone has an opportunity to experience because not everyone can afford it. 

"You have a lot of parents looking for a grant for their child and this is a way to get a grant that you do not have to pay back," he continued. 

With this program in action, it gives every child the opportunity to prepare themselves for a great future. The Y.E.S. Program is not difficult to get involved in and it just takes a few phone calls. To become a part of this program, a teen or their parent should call the Youth Center, 456-2528, for more information.