HI!!
We hear you're on your way to
Fort Polk! If you are between the ages of 8 - 18, someone your age
can help you become familiar with the post and surrounding areas, EVEN BEFORE
YOU ARRIVE!!! You can WRITE or E-MAIL us and a sonsor will be
specially chosen for you. Just fill out the section below and email
or write us back. If you are under the age of 8 and want information
about Youth Services programs, we'll gladly send out a NEWCOMER'S
PACKET. Just fill out the appropriate section below. We
welcome you and hope to hear from you soon!!!
T2K Teens 2000 and our
Relocation Staff!
"BIOGRAPHY WORKBOOK"
QUESTIONS???---E-MAIL US
AT: POLK_T2K@yahoo.com
1.) Do you have a
nickname? If you had only five minutes to think up a nickname for
yourself and know everyone would use it for five years, what would you
pick?
2.) What cities/countries have you lived
in? Which was your favorite?
3.) What do you like to do
in your free time? What do you want to do after high
school?
4.) What are you most proud of having done or participated
in?
5.) If you could be as talented as some friend of yours is, at
only one thing; what would you choose?
6.) Some adults have a lot
of trouble enjoying themselves. If you were asked to give them some
advice about how to play and have more fun, what would you say to
them?
7.) If you had a round-trip ride in a time machine, and
could travel any distance into the past or future; where would you want to
go?
8.) What is the most BORING thing you can imagine
doing?
9.) Which subjects at school do you think will be
completely USELESS to you in the future? Which do you think will be
important to you?
10.) What is the hardest thing about
moving?
11.) What is the most exciting thing you ever did on a
dare? Are you glad you did it?
12.) What is the luckest
thing that ever happened to you?
13.) Of all the nice things that
someone could truthfully say about you, which one would make you feel the
best?
14.) If you could grow up and be famous and successful, what
would you like to be known for?
*****YOUTH REQUEST (YOUTH AGES 12 - 18)
SPONSORSHIP
1.) NAME:
2.) AGE:
3.) GRADE
ENTERING:
4.) SEX:
5.) SPONSOR'S
NAME:
6.) CURRENT MAILING ADDRESS:
7.) CURRENT PHONE
NUMBER:
8.) EXPECTED ARRIVEL DATE:
9.) What would
you like to know about the community?
10.) List your hobbies
and/or interests.
11.) Do you have a pet(s)? What is
it's name?
*****NEWCOMER'S PACKET ONLY (YOUTH UNDER 8 YEARS OF
AGE)
1.) NAME:
2.) AGE:
3.) SEX:
4.) CURRENT
MAILING ADDRESS:
5.) EXPECTED ARRIVAL
DATE:
6.) HOBBIES
7.) FAVORITE SPORT(S)
ACTIVITY
8.) FAVORITE CARTOON CHARACTER
9.) FAVORITE
ANIMAL
10.) Do you have a pet(s)? What is it's
name?
*****RETURN TO:
YOUTH SERVICES
5538 UNIVERSITY
PARKWAY
BLDG. 4496
FORT POLK, LOUISIANA 71459
OR E-MAIL US
AT: POLK_T2K@yahoo.com
Looking forward to hearing from
you!
T2K Teens 2000 and the Relocation StaffThe Youth Develepoment Job
Service Program offers youth ages 16-18 years of age an opportunity to volunteer
their time in a variety of job related ways. Teens may volunteer for
internships at local businesses, radio stations, disc jockey at dances, or
various other post activities. The Hire a Youth Program permits teens to earn
money for their work. YS operates a job referral type service, wherby
community members and activities request teens to perform a variety of odd jobs,
for example garden work, sports officiating, housework, babysitting,
housesitting, petsitting, etc. Teens must first contact Mrs. Loretta
McGowan, 531-1992, to arrange for an interview and job application before
referral for work. Resume and Job Skills Workshops are held in the Teen Center
several times a year. Workforce Preparation includes: Curriculum
Components-Guided exploration, entrepreneurship, job shadowing and
apprenticeship, college or Voc-Tech Preparation. The Porgram goals
are to help youth discover their interests and abilities, help youth learn
organizational and business related skills and help youth become aware of a
variety of career options. Also, YS is currently implementing Guided Exploration
to help youth discover their individual skills and tnterests related to the
world of work. The three curriculum's pieces are: (1) PRETEENS -
Dream Cathers: Developing Career and Educatioal Awarness = designed to help
youth decide what they want to do and how best to get
there. Workbooks contain activities to lead youth toward
understanding different types of woek anf schooling, discovering personal
interests, illustrations, stories and practical employment
information. (2) JUNIOR/HIGH SCHOOL -
Pathfinder: Exploring Career and Education Paths = YS has a Multi
Media CD-ROM that guides youth through a series of questions designed to define
their interests and avilities determine appropriate careers based on their
interests and ability preferences. PATHFINDER is designed to help youth decide
their "path" for the future. Include information and activities
focusing on discovery, researching and assessing career interest, educational
requirements, and planning for the future. (3) ALL AGES - Marketing
You: Designed for youth to develop a plan for entering the careers of their
choice. MARKETING YOU is a career skills evaluation and resume
writing guide providing a chart/check list that enables users to identify their
strengths and weakness in terms of skills. (4) LEARN AND EARN - basic
entrepreneurial program designed to teach leadership, organizational and
business related skills to youth by directing them through a business adventure,
i.e., "Creole Cajun Day" poster sales, Steak Night, fund raisers, card and comic
shows, flea market and car washes. (5) JOB SHADOWING - Youth are assigned to a
work site where they have the opportunity to observe and ask questions of adult
employers/employees. They are not asked to provide labor or handle
equipment; therefore the labor laws are not an issue. ONLY 1st HAND LEARNING!!
(6) VOLUNTEER APPRENTICESHIPS - similar to job shadowing, BUT is extended and
intensified such asd that youth have the opportunity to become DIRECTLY INVOLVED
in the work site activities and can acquire a better appreciation for the nature
of the work. Since the youth are actually assigned to the work site
to observe and/or to provide voluntary labor, child labor laws will apply. (7)
AMERICA'S PROMISE-PROMISE PASSPORT VOLUNTEER SERVICE - Sponsored by YS in
response to a directive from DoD to report the TOTAL NUMBER of community service
hours performed by military youth. We simply record the hours of
service on a Promise Passport and drop the completed passpost off at the local
youth center so our youth can participate in the president's call to
service. Our goal is to provide young people with the opportunity to
serve so that they become a part of the solution and experience firsthand the
bbenefit of being active citizens. (8) AMERICA'S PROMISE -
ALLIANCE FOR YOUTH IS A NATIONAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO IMPROVING
THE LIVES OF OUR NATIONS'S YOUNG PEOPLE: Awards; America's Promise
Certificate; Congressional Awards; President's Award; The National Award.
(9) COMPUTER LAB - THUR-SAT, 6pm-8pm (over 75 programs)The TEEN
CENTER is located with Siegfried Youth Center. The teens have a
separate part of the facility with a billiard table, juke box, dance area, video
arcade games, activity space and vending area. The Teen Center
sponsors a wide range of daily and weekly activities, workshops, and programs
for teen members.
The Center has established periods for open recreation
that allow teen members to voluntarily participate in recreational programs and
self-directed activities and socialize with youth in their same age
group.
Teens desiring to access the Siegfried Youth Center adn Teen
Center area will be required to provide proof of eligibility or
membership. Teen members whose sponsor is a military or retiree and
are eligible for a military family member ID card may present that card to gain
entry. Other teen members whose sponsor is not eligible for a
military family member ID card must present their Youth Service picture
membership card to gain entry.
The Teen Center is sponsored by the
COMMUNITY YOUTH COUNCIL and meets regularly to work with the staff in
programming activities and events.FOR TEENS ONLY !!!!
T2K TEENS 2000 "FORT
POLK, LA"
Community Youth Council Teens and Leaders Creating the "AHA"
Effect
WELCOME FROM OUR COMMUNITY YOUTH
COUNCIL
HELLO,
My name is Ashleigh
Cooper. I am in the seventh grade at Leesville Junior High, Leesville
Louisiana. I moved here from Fort Richardson,
Alaska about 5
months ago. I would like to take some time to tell you about Fort
Polk since I came here. My experience might help some of you
transitioning here for the first time.
When my
Mother told me that she was getting re-assigned to Fort Polk, La. a lot of
questions went through my mind. Things like, what kind of school will
I be going to, or what are some things to do there, and the REALLY BIG QUESTION
THAT GOES THROUGH EVERY TEENAGER'S MIND----"Will I fit
in?"
I started looking for school's on the
internet and other things about Louisiana. BUT--I really couldn't
find much about things a teenager would like to
do.
When I arrived in Louisiana I started school
about 1 week after we got here. My first day of school was
SCARY....but FUN. I made friends and I was fitting in with everybody
else....AND...people were very nice and helpful.
I still didn't have much to do after school and on the weekends so my Mom looked
around for some after school activities for me to do. She came across
a place called T2K. It is a youth center for TEENS. She signed me up
and I started going there after school. The school bus takes you there from
school. Everyday we do different activities. The first
hour we have homework time. Homework time has really helped a lot of
people because we use the "study-buddy system" (that is where your peers help
one another.)
We also have other activities such
as dances, parties, fashion shows, basketball, Jamboree's and lots of other
activities as well.
I feel as though the TEEN
CENTER has really helped me grow as a person. The TEEN CENTER, to me,
is a home away from home and I hope you will check it out if you ever come to
Fort Polk, Louisiana.
I'm not saying that T2K is
better than EVERY teen center on this earth because there are many great clubs
around; but the thing so special about the TEEN CENTER here is that the kids
made it and there are such great people there.
If you want more information on T2K or to find out more about your new home,
write us at T2K TEENS 2000, BLDG 1457, 9th STREET, FORT POLK,
LA. PHONE NUMBER: (337) 531-8138; OR FIND US THROUGH THE
JRTC & FORT POLK WEB PAGE.
Now I have to let
the Community Youth Council have a chance to talk to you. Their
message will follow mine.
PS--our Director is F. J.(JoJo) Le Blanc, and
our Teen Coordinator is Loretta McGowan
YOURS
TRULY-----ASHLEIGH
HELLO FROM THE REST OF US,
O.K. You finally get
here to Fort Polk and you think it's not the greatest place in the
world. Sometimes you need to open your eyes. There are a
lot of great things to do here, that don't involve getting into
trouble. The T2K TEENS 2000 here at Fort Polk, La open
many doors and have lots of things to do.
I, myself, and a couple of my
friends have lived here for awhile and figured out that it isn't that bad of a
place! You just have to get around and come to the youth center. You
may think it's just for kids but it really isn't. It's a great place
to come and have fun and stay out of trouble. Like you,
we left behind our wonderful friends, a great school and some fond
memories. Since our arrivals, we have made our new assignments at For
Polk our home very quickly. We believe you will too.
We found
the biggest challenge of moving to a new place was the challenge of building
relationships - and that's why we would like to invite you to meet your new
"FAMILY" here at T2K TEENS 2000. We invite you to join us for our
NEWCOMERS ORIENTATION CLASSES, the Hail and Farewell gatherings, our workshops,
an aerobic class, or stop by the T2K TEENS 2001 for an evening of
fun. When you do, you will find others your age who are a lot like
you. You will meet friends. AND you will find friends
working there who truly care about you.
That's why your Community Youth
Council would like to say, "WELCOME".
T2K Teens 2000 have a separate
facility with a billiard table, juke box, dance area, video arcade games,
activity space and vending area. The T2K Teens 2000 sponsors a wide
range of daily and weekly activities, workshops, and programs for teen
members. T2K Teens 2000 has established periods for open recreation
that allow teen members to voluntarily participate in
recreational programs and self-directed activities and socialize with
youth in their same age group. Teens desiring to access the T2K 2000
area will be required to provide proof of age and eligibility or
membership. Teen members whose sponsor is active
military or retiree, and eligible for a military family member ID
card may present that card to gain entry. Other teen members whose
sponsor is not eligible for a military family member ID card must present their
T2K Teens 2000 picture membership card to gain entry. T2K Teens 2000
is sponsored by the COMMUNITY YOUTH COUNCIL and meets reguarly to work with the
staff in programming activities and events. T2K Teens 2000 provide
and manage a comprehensive system of developmental programs to support the
emotional, social and physiological growth for youth of active duty, retired,
and deceased military personnel, and Department of Defense civilians.
T2K
TEENS 2001 sponsors a variety of family events and festivals each year that are
open to the public. Most are conducted at the T2K TEENS 2000 or in
collaboration with major events sponsored by the DCFA at Fort
Polk. Events are festive amd offer a variety of youth games,
entertainment, food and drinks, and activities that promote the
theme. Several of the events draw well over a 1000 families and
children to celebrate and enjoy the wholesome fun. We invite parents
to participate with their youth and assist us. Most of the activities
are listed in our monthly calender. Events are advertised on the
Cable Television Information Channel, The Guardian (our local post newspaper),
and flyers.
For those of you wondering what exactly our school's in this
area expect of us; you will find more information in the "EDUCATION" and
"SCHOOLS" section of this SITES book. After you check out these two
sections if you feel you need more information, call ANY of us at T2K---(337)
531-8138; find us through the Fort Polk WEB; or EMAIL us at
POLK_T2K@yahoo.com.
P. S.
You will find a "BIOGRAPHY WORKBOOK" a few
pages back. It sure makes it easier going to a new place if you've got somebody
to fill you in on what to expect. Fill it out, send it on so we can
hook you up with a SPONSOR. We'll be waiting to hear from
you.
***U. S. ARMY TEENS COMING TOGETHER FOR A BETTER
FUTURE***
NEWCOMERS ORIENTATION CLASS FOR TEENS: series of
orientation for new teens. Classes are open to all teens and
membership is not required to attend.
COUNSELING SERVICES: designed
specifically for teenagers having challenges that are difficult to
face. Feeling that no one cares, and no one will listen or understand
without telling everybody.
LISTEN AND NOT
TELL: (1) Teen Time - division of the Vernon Parish
Helpline, has volunteer counselors trained to assist teens in
crisis. (337) 239-HELP. (2) Fort Polk Teen
Call - Family Advocacy Program; (337) 531-1938/6945 (3) Adolescent
Group Therapy (337) 531-2961.