July is Make a Difference to Children Month

  • Published
  • By Laura McGowan
  • 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base --  While many people make a positive difference in the lives of children on a daily basis without much thought at all, July, as Make a Difference to Children Month, provides everyone an opportunity to purposely prepare and complete activities to inspire children.

There are several organizations on base whose year-round goals are aimed at making a positive difference in the lives of children.

The base educational outreach office is one of the organizations that is geared toward school-aged children, and inspiring their minds with STEM-centric activities.

"We have had numbers of previous students who have participated in our programs and have stated that we had a big influence on what major/degree they went on to pursue in college," said Daniel Andrews, Wright-Patterson AFB K-12 STEM coordinator, Educational Outreach Office Coordinator, and STARBASE Wright-Patt director.

Here are a few upcoming summer camps: FIRST LEGO League Rookie Camp, July 18-22 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.; FIRST LEGO League Rookie Camp, July 25-28 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.; STARBASE Flight Camp, July 12 & 14 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.; and STARBASE Flight Camp, July 26 & 28, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. For more information go to: http://edoutreach.wpafb.af.mil.

Additionally, Wright-Patt has a School Liaison Officer, Andrea Attaway-Young, and she has year-round involvement promoting communication between the base and surrounding schools and home schoolers, providing military and civilian parents of school age children with resources and helping agencies. More information may be found online at: http://www.wpafb.af.mil/units/ids/index.asp.

Base child development centers also have activities year-round that stimulate and educate the children of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Here are links for the Wright Care CDC, http://www.88thfss.com/wrightcare.htm, and the Prairies Youth Center, http://www.88thfss.com/youthcenter.htm.