Whidbey Island Sailors are helping kids learn the dangers of drugs and alcohol through the Oak Harbor Drug Education for Youth (DEFY) program which began at Fort Casey July 13.

The five-day event covered drug resistance education, team building exercises and physical fitness. This year’s motto is “Be all that you can be!”

“As a youth I didn’t have anyone there for me; I needed a role model to tell me about drugs and keep me focused,” said Aviation Electronics Technician 2nd Class Kristopher Burris, DEFY assistant operations coordinator, with Fleet Readiness Center Northwest (FRC NW). “The DEFY program will become a positive way for me to become a role model for children.”

DEFY is a Department of Defense sponsored program for children ages 9-12 and provides kids with the tools they need to resist drugs, gangs and alcohol. It is a two-phased program that starts with a summer camp and then continues through a year of mentoring.

The camp staff included 23 mentors and nine junior mentors providing and facilitating the drug and alcohol awareness education to 53 children.

“It’s a good place to for us to go and learn about cigarettes, drugs and alcohol and not to use them,” said 10-year-old Kaleb Harris a DEFY participant.

The mentors believe it’s important to provide guidance to the children and give them the education and skills leading to healthy lifestyles without the influences of drugs and alcohol.

“I hope these children find in one of us someone that they can talk to and educate them on what’s going on,” said Aviation Machinist’s Mate Airman Monica Halvick, a DEFY mentor. “I don’t know if they have someone to look up to and talk to and feel comfortable around at home, so we are here to give them the tools they need.”