News

Army expands youth career guide program to all garrisons
Date Posted: 2/18/2009

By Wiliam Bradner, FMWRC Public Affairs, and
Scott Copus, FMWRC Youth Program Manager

A Fort Bragg teen jots down skills she believes are necessary to become a video game designer during a LIFE program activity. - Photo by Tim Hipps / Rob McIlvaine, FMWRC Public Affairs

The U.S. Army launched a new youth educational program called LIFE, Inc.: The Ultimate Career Guide for Young People at an event at the Tolson Youth Activities Center at Fort Bragg last month. LIFE, Inc. is available to all Army Garrisons through installation Youth Centers and is sponsored by Deloitte Foundation.

Marshall Scott Copus, Youth Program Manager for Army Child, Youth & School Services at the Army’s Family and MWR Command, heads up the LIFE, Inc. initiative for the Army.

“We have piloted LIFE, Inc., through our Youth Tiger Team in 2008 and are continuing the roll-out in 2009 and beyond,” Copus said. “We are also pleased that Neale Godfrey, author of LIFE, Inc., will be attending the 2009 Boys and Girls Club of America Impact Youth Development Conference in Germany to train staff and introduce the program to Army, Air Force and Navy Youth Development professionals overseas.”

LIFE, Inc. participants joined Patti Turner, Fort Bragg Youth and School-Age Services Administrator, and the students at the Tolson Youth Activities Center at Fort Bragg on January 9, 2009. The team conducted a LIFE, Inc. activity with the students called “Race-To-The-Board.” The students were challenged through a physical and mental game to figure out the skills that are necessary to be successful in different careers.

"Young people are bombarded with so many opportunities to make the wrong choice," Turner said. "Programs like LIFE, Inc. give them opportunities to practice making good choices; to think about positive possibilities and goals in life. It's a real boost for military families."

"LIFE, Inc. adds a lot of value for our students,” Turner said. “Military children have certain barriers to deal with that other children don't have. They relocate often, so they have to deal with a loss of stability and the difficulties of social adjustment each time they start over. They also have the added pressure of the current global war/terrorism to contend with – many are separated for long periods of time from one or more parents. So, it is up to us to bridge the gap, to provide youth programs like LIFE, Inc. that will help coach/mentor them to become what they want to be."

“The program stirred our students and made them think, 'I can be what I want to be. I don't have to limit myself,'” Turner said.

After the activity at Fort Bragg, Alex J. Wallace said, “The career that I wanted to do was to be an artist and model, but now I want to be much more than that. I learned that you have to know a lot of stuff to have a career, and you have to stay in school for a good career.”

Another participant, Gabby Ramos, said, “I learned that the skills you need to be successful are what they are teaching us in school.”

“What I learned today was that whatever career I choose, I should not be afraid of it,” said a third student, Adrianna Vasquez.

The LIFE, Inc. program consists of a Student Book, a Teacher’s Guide with seven easy-to-teach lessons and activities, a Student Journal that each student receives to record their individual findings, an Interactive Website (www.nealeslifeinc.com) and Instructor Training. These are created by New York Times #1 Best-Selling author and financial literacy expert, Neale S. Godfrey.

LIFE, Inc. gives today’s youth the opportunity to view their future in an inspirational way. One of the most important aspects of the LIFE, Inc. program is its ability to help students “envision” future career possibilities through the use of interviews with “Virtual Role Models.” These are real people who serve as mentors for the students, reflect on their lives’ journey and provide useful insights about their own career paths. In doing so, the “Virtual Role Models” show that there are many roads to success. Students will also learn how to investigate career options and acquire interviewing and financial literacy skills while discovering their unique interests.

“No one is born being a doctor, a military person, or a president,” commented Godfrey. “It all starts with a dream, hard work and people around you who help you with your journey.”

One of LIFE, Inc.’s goals is to motivate the Next Generation to get out of bed every morning and be excited about seizing the work day. Another of its missions is to “connect-the-dots” for today’s youth, so that they can understand the importance and relevance of the subjects they are learning and be encouraged to stay in school.

“The nation’s dropout rates are staggering,” according to Shaun Budnik, Deloitte Foundation President and Deloitte LLP Partner. “Our job as educators, parents, military, businesses, and – frankly – everyone, is to encourage our youth to “dream dreams” and give them the tools to achieve those dreams. Education is the mission of Deloitte Foundation – we are here to make a difference in our students’ lives.”

Stan Smith, National Director, Cross Generational Initiatives, Deloitte LLP, says, “Our research shows that young people think about careers in middle school, so it’s essential to give them the tools that they need at that age to inspire them to look at the world beyond what they see on television.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Deloitte Foundation to bring LIFE, Inc. to the youth at our Garrisons," said Col. Brick Miller, Commander of the Army Family and MWR Command, headquarters for Army Child , Youth and School Services. "The program reinforces our commitment to education and higher learning while inspiring students to visualize future career opportunities. We are confident that LIFE, Inc. will be a valuable tool to teach and encourage our youth to stay in school and to become our future leaders."

Deloitte Foundation also supports the donation of LIFE, Inc. for thousands of other school and after-school programs around the country. LIFE, Inc. is also being translated into Spanish, and all materials are available for FREE PDF download.

If any other Army Garrisons or Youth Centers are interested in the LIFE, Inc. program they can contact Marshall Scott Copus at: Marshall.copus@us.army.mil.