Project Report - 2008

4-H Military Project - Operation Military Kids (OMK)

Project Leader: Gretchen May

Extension Staff and Faculty:

• Kerry Bickford
• Kim Pond
• Pam Lefave
• Va Shon Wallace Hiltpold

Collaborating Faculty:

• Shirley Mietlicki, Public Health

This project addressed the following UMass Extension Critical Issue:

• Youth Development and Engagement

Description

Massachusetts 4-H supports military youth and families by coordinating Operation Military Kids (OMK) in the Commonwealth. Thousands of children in Massachusetts are experiencing the deployment of a family member who is serving in overseas contigencies operations.  These children need support and connection to informed people who care. Through OMK, youth (ages 5-18) with deployed parents are connected with 4-H resources and opportunities.  In addition to providing youth with educational, recreational and social activities, the project also seeks to educate the community on the effects of deployment on children.

Activity Summary

The Operation Military Kids team insures the flow of 4-H resources and information to military youth and families at various events.  Key collaborators include: Boys & Girls Clubs, MA National Guard, Army Reserves, Westover Air Reserve Base, MA Dept of Elementary & Secondary Education, UMass Dept of Public Health, UMass Military Resource Center, The American Legion, and military family members. During the year, Operation Military Kids distributed 595 “Hero Packs.” Packs contain a thank-you letter written by a non-military youth, items (cameras and stationery) to help children stay in touch with their loved ones, along with toys, stuffed animals or gift cards. Hero Totes and Hero Blankets made from fleece or handmade quilts were provided for children under 5 years of age. OMK regional team members staffed an additional 21 information sessions around the Commonwealth, reaching over 2900 people with the OMK message of supporting military children.  In addition, OMK team members trained 9 teens (military and civilian) during "Speak Out For Military Kids" workshops which focused on communication skills, in an effort to help them effectively relay the OMK message. 

OMK supported a myriad of youth events during the 2008 project year.  From Cape Cod to Westfield to Littleton, over 1300 youth from military families participated in activities such as museum trips, mock deployments, swimming lessons, and leadership trainings.  In addition to the 595 youth who received Hero Packs, another 641 attended at least one OMK sponsored event. OMK also supported youth activities at Guard and Reserve events.  Operation Purple Camp was offered at 4-H Camp Marshall in Spencer meeting its maximum enrollment of 75 military youth each of its two sessions.  The Army Reserves integrated 36 of its youth into a week-long session at YMCA Camp Lyndon on Cape Cod and OMK provided specific activities for those military youth each evening.  Finally, OMK launched a Mobile Technology Lab this spring.  This lab travels around the state and consists of laptops printers and cameras to facilitate communication between children and their deployed family members.

Results Summary

This year OMK distributed 595 items through the Hero Pack program.  Evaluation letters were packed randomly into school age packs. All evaluations returned stated the youth recipient "would not change a thing!"  Several added "It makes me happy!" Comments from parents included "She (my daughter) is very happy and that makes me happy!"  "My daughter uses hers to bring to summer camp every day.  Thank you for all your help!"

Extension organized a broad collaboration to supply materials for Hero Packs, receiving over $8000 in cash and material goods.  Donors included Raytheon, the MA 4-H Foundation, The American Legion Posts, Operation Homefront, quilters' guilds, professional organizations, church groups and individuals. 4-H Clubs, Boys & Girls Clubs and a synagogue youth group made over 500 Hero Pack thank you cards, collected donations and packed hundreds of Hero Packs.  Of special note was a 6-part yoga and stress management series conducted by a collaborator at which 13 youth were able to discuss their particular stressors and learn techniques for dealing with them.  The response was so positive that parents asked to attend, and a second session was offered in the summer.  The instructor donated 10 yoga mats at the end of the session so youth who attended the afterschool program could continue to practice yoga.

Additional impacts of note include the following:

• A day-long series of workshops for military youth was organized by a teenage 4-H member. She coordinated 30 volunteers for the event which reached 20 youth and 20 adults.  An evaluation was completed by all participants that indicated: 75% learned a specific skill such as making a pillow or scrapbooking and 25 % said they could make anything they wanted with the right amount of effort.  One youth wrote" I loved scrapbooking because I made something for my dad."
• 4-H OMK team members and collaborators delivered seven “Ready, Set, Go!” workshops reaching 110 Boys & Girls Club staff, child care providers, conflict mediators and military family members who learned about the deployment cycle and the effects of deployment on children.
• 4-H OMK team members and collaborators trained nine teens in communication skills using media technology. They produced an OMK public service announcement which can be found at Worcester Community Cable Access (www.wccatv.com/). The station has a viewing audience of 57,000 and also hosted and archived a “Ready, Set, Go!” workshop on its website.

Planned outcomes and observed or measured progress

• 181 Youth engaged in community service learning

Activities, delivery mode and participants reached

Conduct “Gear-Up” Trainings for Military Youth
3 completed, 18 youth participants

Conduct Hero Pack Letter Writing Workshops
1 completed, 177 youth participants

Maintain Massachusetts section of the national Operation Military Kids website

Present Hero Packs
34 completed, 595 youth participants

Present OMK informational workshops
11 completed, 325 adult participants

Represent 4-H/OMK at Military Events
9 completed, 87 youth participants, 146 adult participants

Speak Out for Military Kids
4 completed, 22 youth participants

This project is part of the 4-H Program