Services center announces summer camps, activities for kids

  • Published
  • By Debbie Aragon
  • AFIMSC Public Affairs

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas – We’ll be saying hello to summer before we know it with kids saying goodbye to teachers, textbooks and school campuses.

For months now, the Air Force Services Center team has been planning and programming a wide variety of activities to keep military kids excited, engaged and entertained during the summer months.

“At the beginning of each school year, our AFSVC team starts actively planning interactive and engaging programs, events and activities for our military children during school breaks,” said Brian Roush, AFSVC executive director.  “By the time summer rolls around, our teams have a full pallet of options to keep our kids off the couch and video games and involved in our Department of the Air Force Child and Youth Programs worldwide.”

As the DAF’s go-to unit for building and sustaining ready and resilient Airmen, Guardians and families, the AFSVC team developed programs to help kids exercise their bodies to strengthen overall physical well-being and resiliency, as well as reading and educational programs to exercise their minds, Roush said.

Here’s some of what’s on offer for military-affiliated families:

Celebrating Wild Children Worldwide: It’s not summer yet but AFSVC launched its “Celebrating Wild Children Worldwide” campaign April 1 in support of Month of the Military Child. It includes a wide variety of programs and events to get kids exploring the great outdoors. Check with your installation’s outdoor recreation team for info of this program and what’s on the horizon as warmer weather is upon us.

Outdoor Fit: Stay tuned for more information from your installation outdoor recreation team on this new program kicking off in May, Fitness Month, to engage kids in getting fit in the fresh air and sunshine.

Summer Reading Program: With a theme of “Find Your Voice,” this year’s Department of Defense MWR Library Summer Reading Program encourages kids to use their voices to share stories, express themselves and spark change. Programs vary by installation and run from six weeks to as long as 14 weeks. Check with your installation library for what’s happening near you.

Kids Bowl Free: The Kids Bowl Free promotion, for children 15 years and under, offers coupons for two free games of bowling per day for the duration of the program. Coupons are emailed directly to each member from Bowling Business Builders International and can be presented via an electronic device or printed coupon at the centers. The promotion, in its seventh year, also offers an optional family pass for purchase that gives up to four immediately family members additional coupons for two free games a day to be used with the active KBF participant. To join the more than 230,000 members that have used this promotion, go to www.kidsbowlfree.com.

Golf: The Payne Stewart Golf Experience is a new program being beta tested by 10 courses worldwide this summer. The program, an introductory golf experience for kids 4-9 years of age, teaches the fundamentals of golf and character to help create life-long golfers. With a partnership between AFSVC’s Air Force Golf and the Payne Stewart Golf Foundation, junior golf is more affordable, accessible and fun for military kids.

Live Stage: Coming to an installation near you, AFSVC’s Air Force Entertainment Live Stage delivers free concerts, comedy show, variety performances and more. With a goal of delivering family-friendly events, they include performances by major rock, country and pop recording artists, and popular comedians and illusionists.  Check with your installation for what’s heading your way.

ITT: No matter what time of year, installation information, tickets and travel offices help families get out and about locally and, in some cases, a continent away! With support from AFSVC, Airmen, Guardians and their families can get discount tickets to Disneyworld, cruises, concerts and much more at ITT.

Space Camp: This in-residence program at the U.S. Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, is for ages 12-18 and teens can apply for one of two sessions: Session 1 runs from July 23-28 and session 2 from July 30-Aug. 4. With this program, participants choose from three camp tracks: Mach II, Mach III or U.S. Cyber Academy. Email AFSVC.SVPY.Camps@us.af.mil to request an application. Deadline to apply is June 1. High school grads aren’t eligible.

     Mach II – For ages 12-14, this camp teaches things like aeronautics, propulsion and aviation history, and allows participants to “fly” in a UAV drone simulator or master aerial combat before competing for Top Gun bragging rights!

     Mach III – For ages 15-18, this camp gives participants the chance to work as a team on the Space Camp Challenge Course, experience a centrifuge, zip line down 150 feet and go through simulator training. They also learn leadership, teamwork, decision-making skills, mission planning, wilderness survival skills and orienteering.

     U.S. Cyber Academy – This STEM camp is July 23-29 and July 30-Aug. 4 for ages 12-14. Teens will experience cyber technologies through blended hands-on experiences and challenges as an introduction to the cyber field. Experience computer and networking systems building, coding and defending cyber threats at this camp.

Teen Leadership Camp: Set in Estes Park, Colorado, this camp for teens 14-18 runs from Aug. 8-13. The goal of this camp is to build character, leadership and resilience in young people through new experiences, networking with peers and adult advisors and establishing a sense of community. Email AFSVC.SVPY.Camps@us.af.mil to request an application. Deadline to apply is June 1. High school grads aren’t eligible.

Local camps and programs: In addition to the previous camps, AFSVC funds various camps that visit installations for in-place fun and learning. These include sports, art and theater camps. For example, New this year is the MVP 360 Flag Football Development Training Sports Camp at four installations. This camp expands recreation and sports experiences and opportunities offered through installation child and youth programs flights for kids to experience physical fitness, teamwork, effective communication, critical thinking, mentorship and equipment safety. Check with your youth program for what’s on offer at your installation.

For information on these and other programs, visit www.myairforcelife.com or stop by the relevant youth center, bowling center, golf course, library or outdoor recreation office on your installation.