Buckley’s Youth Program offers a number of activities to educate, guide and entertain children of military and DoD civilian personnel. Programs are available throughout the year for kids, ages 5-18 (Youth Programs Brochure).
Air Force Youth of the Year
Via an affiliation with the National Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the Air Force Youth Programs participate in a premier youth recognition program, the Youth of the Year. The program begins annually with the selection of a Youth of the Year.
To compete, nominees submit personal essays and information packages describing their involvement with home and family, moral character, community, school, service to club, and life goals. If selected as the base Youth of the Year, the young person then competes in both the state and Major Command competition. Each state winner may have the opportunity to compete in a regional competition. All installation winners are recognized by Air Force Services, Family Member Programs.
Air Force Teen Aviation Camp
Air Force Services, in conjunction with the United States Air Force Academy, invite youth to experience the Air Force Academy firsthand during Teen Aviation Camp!
The camp is for high school students entering their sophomore or junior year in the fall. Eligible applicants include teen dependents of Active Duty Military assigned to or living on an Air Force Base, AF Retired Military, AF Civilian Employees, or activated Air National Guard or AF Reserve. Teens who participated in the previous year’s camp are not eligible to apply for the current year. Attendees are selected based upon information included in their application.
Air Force Space Camp
Sponsored by the AF Services Family Member Programs, the Air Force Space Camp program provides an inspiring week of entertaining educational experiences in space science and aviation. Youth, ages 12-18, will experience, imagine and interact through Space Shuttle mission simulations, tours of the US Space and Rocket Center and the chance to witness first-hand the everyday challenges faced by astronauts.
This program is open to family members of Active Duty Military assigned to or living on an AF installation, AF Retired Military, AF Civilian Employees, or activated Air National Guard or AF Reserve. Youth may only participate in the AF Space Camp Program once unless they participated as a 12 – 14 year old in the Space Academy and were eligible for the Advanced Space Academy. Interested youth, with a minimum GPA of 2.8, must complete an electronic fill-in nomination form.
Armed Forces Kids Run
The FitFactor program encourages youth to be physically active through a variety of activities that range from household chores to games to team and individual sports. FitFactor offers five exciting levels for youth to complete as they participate in any physical activity and make healthy eating choices. The FitFactor levels are: Energy, Strength, Agility, Adventure and Endurance.
Incentives are awarded to youth as they achieve each new level. In addition to having fun, earning rewards and getting fit, FitFactor also encourages youth to:
- be physically active for at least sixty minutes each day;make healthy eating and lifestyle choices;
- include friends and family participation in fun physical activities and games;
- limit the amount of screen time (television and computer) they log each day; and
- adopt healthy exercise routines, including a broad range of physical and leisure-time activities.
The program is open to youth between the ages of 6-18 years old and recently, parents were invited to join the fun and log points with their children. Healthy habits start at home!
Family Mock Deployment
Kids of deployed parents have lots of questions about what happens when their parents are involved with a deployment or exercise. Buckley’s Youth Mock Deployment is intended to answer those questions and allows youth to experience, first hand, what happens during a Base exercise and deploying to another country.
Priority is given to youth in military families who have experienced a loved one deployed in the past year, currently deployed or about to deploy in the next six months. An application and a $10 refundable deposit are required to register.
School Age Program
The School Age Program, certified by the Department of Defense, is available on school holidays and summer vacations. This program provide a safe, supervised, healthy, accountable, and age appropriate environment for youth, ages 5-12 years. Kids are engaged in a full range of fun, educational, and recreational programs. Breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack is provided.
Youth Program Director
Phone: 720-847-9992
Teen Coordinator/Sports Director
720-847-6378
School Age Coordinator
Phone: 720-847-9206
