Army program teaches youth life skills

Ballet instructor Sandra Salcedo-Conrad has her students reach for the sky during stretching exercises in a SKIESUnlimted class at Markham School Age Services. (Photo by Marny Malin)

There is no question that military-connected children and youth face special challenges.

As a way to help alleviate those challenges, SKIESUnlimited was formed.

Through SKIES-Unlimited, Schools of Knowledge, Inspiration, Exploration & Skills, children and youth in Child Development Services, School Age Services, Middle School and Teen and Outreach Services programs will have equal access to opportunities to expand their knowledge, be inspired, explore and acquire skills.

"SKIES was implemented about five years ago because the Army thought it needed more of a structural program," said Rebecca Doran, instructional program specialist for SKIESUnlimited. "When they developed SKIES it was more of an organized program. With SKIES, classes are offered much more often, and marketing and advertising is made a lot easier because of Army funding. We have funded equipment dedicated just to SKIES. There's just a lot more stability."

SKIESUnlimited provides the organizational umbrella for all instructional programming in the Child and Youth Services system, encompassing instructional programs for children 4 weeks old through the end of their senior year in high school.

SKIESUnlimited has a four-school model: School of Sports, School of Arts, School of Life Skills and School of Academic Skills.

"The School of Life Skills, that usually entails classes like cooking or sewing," Doran said. "The School of Art is dancing, theatre, art design, photography; for the School of Academics, usually we have things like SAT prep, tutoring, Spanish instruction and the School of Sports is things like tennis, golf ... whatever we can get our hands on."

Classes currently enrolling on Fort Belvoir are karate, Little Dragons karate, tae kwon do, fencing, ballet, preschool jazz/ballet combination, piano, drums, STEP and preschool Spanish.

Lt. Col. Dwight Melvin and his wife Adrienne enrolled their two children, Daria and Joshua, in the SKIESUnlimited Tae Kwon Do program.

"I like the timing, the cost, and most of all the instructors," Adrienne said of the program. "They're very patient, and they build their confidence. They don't leave any child out."

Dwight agrees.

"The SKIES program really is a bargain," he said. "Outside Tae Kwon Do was asking $400 a month, plus you have to sign a contract. Here it's a low fee, no contract and the instruction is just as good, if not better."

Because it is an Army-wide program, Doran said that the SKIES program can make PCSing a little easier on children.

"When children are PCSing from base-to-base, they have familiarity with the SKIES program," she said. "It makes transition a little easier."

In support of the Global War on Terrorism, SKIESUnlimited offers select classes free to the children of deployed Soldiers. Children may be enrolled in one SKIESUnlimited class per session, at no cost. CYS registration is free. A copy of deployment orders will need to be submitted at time of enrollment.

All students enrolling in SKIESUnlimited must be registered through CYS. The cost for registration is $18 per child, or $40 per family and is valid for 12 months and may be used for all Fort Belvoir Child and Youth Services activities and programs. The registration office is located at Markham School Age Services, 950 Barlow Road. For more information, contact Rebecca Doran at 703-805-9146, or Central Registration at 703-805-9114/9116/9118.

SKIESUnlimited is always lookin g for child/youth instructors. For more information on applications for paid or volunteer instructors, go to Markham School Age Services or call 703-805-9146.