Email   Print   Share By Heather Graham-Ashley, Sentinel News Editor

Facebook Digg Delicious July 19, 2012 | Living

Flanked by Fort Hood children and CYSS staffers, Garrison Commander Col. Matthew Elledge and Fort Hood DFMWR Director Nick Johnsen cut the ribbon to officially open Muskogee School Age Care Center.Flanked by Fort Hood children and CYSS staffers, Garrison Commander Col. Matthew Elledge and Fort Hood DFMWR Director Nick Johnsen cut the ribbon to officially open Muskogee School Age Care Center. Heather Graham-Ashley, Sentinel News Editor

Montague Youth Center sits adjacent to Montague Child Development Center on West Fort Hood. The center, which officially opened July 11, is the fourth youth center on Fort Hood and is open noon-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday for middle schoolers and teens. Heather Graham-Ashley, Sentinel News Editor

A climbing wall inside the gym at Montague Youth Center is just one of the activity options for youth at the facility. The center serves as a one-stop entertainment and gathering spot for Fort Hood youth. Heather Graham-Ashley, Sentinel News Editor

Fort Hood youth play a game of Blood Stone 007 on one of the Montague Youth Center’s XBOX gaming systems July 11, just before the grand opening ceremony. Heather Graham-Ashley, Sentinel News Editor

Montague staff member Graciela Castro assists Mick Henry, 12, with a felt craft project at Montague Youth Center July 11. The center has supplies for several different arts and crafts activities. Heather Graham-Ashley, Sentinel News Editor

A technology room inside Montague Youth Center affords youth the opportunity to work on homework and access the internet. Heather Graham-Ashley, Sentinel News Editor

Children at Muskogee School Age Care play a game of foosball in the game area July 11 during the grand opening festivities. Foosball and pool tables were popular items with the children at the center. Heather Graham-Ashley, Sentinel News Editor

Muskogee School Age Care, which officially opened July 11, serves as the school-age care center for students living on the post’s western side. The state-of-the-art facility has more than 22,800 square feet and space for 195 children. During the summer, the center operates as a camp. During the school year, before- and after-school care is available. Heather Graham-Ashley, Sentinel News Editor

Youth play board games and foosball while others gather to watch July 11 at Muskogee SAC following the center’s ribbon-cutting ceremony. Heather Graham-Ashley, Sentinel News Editor

Fort Hood school-aged children and teens will need to find a new complaint, because the post has rendered that famous childhood mantra, “I’m bored,” null and void.

Two new, state-of-the-art facilities have opened their doors, and the entertainment options for youth are essentially unlimited.

Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation’s Child, Youth and School Services officially opened Muskogee School Age Care and Montague Youth Center during separate ribbon-cutting ceremonies July 11.

Part of the Army’s move to provide adequate child and youth care facilities, the centers are the third and fourth child and youth centers to open since August 2011. Three others are under construction – Meadows, Clear Creek Child Development Center and Darnall Child Development Center, which will operate 24/7 to help accommodate shift workers.

For Fort Hood children and youth, the centers are designed to serve as a home away from home, Yveta Phillips, chief, CYSS, said.

Muskogee School Age Care, located just outside Comanche III Village, is a nearly 23,000-square-foot facility with space for 195 children. The SAC operates as a camp during the summer months and provides before- and after-school care for elementary students during the academic year, Phillips said.

Open since shortly after school let out, the center is hosting summer camp already, and students have been taking daily field trips from the center. At the new facility, youth ages 6-12 can play Dance Dance Revolution on XBOX gaming systems, gather friends for a game of foosball or pool, or make arts-and-crafts projects. There also is a reading area, a technology room and a gymnasium in the center.

Muskogee will serve as the SAC site for the west side of post, while Walker SAC will accommodate children on the post’s eastern side. Walker SAC is slated to undergo renovations, including the addition of a playground to enhance the activities and programs offered there, Phillips added.

Montague Youth Center, located at West Fort Hood and adjacent to the Montague Child Development Center, has more than 22,500 square-feet of space and can accommodate 150 youth and teens, ages 12-18.

With similar technology and amenities as Muskogee, Montague has more open space for teens to gather, as well as a gourmet kitchen.

That kitchen is a huge draw for Kashad Toney, 16.

“I love the set up,” he said.

Other youth noted the foosball and pool tables or gaming systems.

For Isis Gillis, 15, just having a place to wile the time is good.

“It’s cool we have a place to hang out,” she said.

Offering safe, fun places for the youth were key, but the added amenities made them that much better.

“This is the new standard,” Phillips said.

Garrison Commander Col. Matt Elledge said the new centers are “another great reason why Fort Hood truly is the Great Place.”

He helped cut the ribbons to open both centers and offered remarks, noting that facilities such as these are important because they help ease Soldiers’ minds.

“They allow our Soldiers to know their kids are being taken care of,” Elledge said. “It’s something we don’t have to worry about.”



Fort Hood Center-based child and Youth care:

Child Development Centers

CDCs offer full- and part-day care to children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. Most centers are open 5:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday. All centers are closed on federal holidays.



Fort Hood CDC – Bldg. 113 T.J. Mills Blvd., 287-6037

Clear Creek CDC – Bldg. 4819/4820 Washington Dr., 288-5222

Comanche CDC – Bldg. 52024 Tank Destroyer Blvd., 287-4848

Kouma CDC and SKIESUnlimited Academy – Bldg. 48303 Johnson Dr., 285-6017

Montague CDC – Bldg. 70004

Clement Dr., 287-8835

Dakota CDC (Opening 2012) – Bldg. 41015 Clear Creek

Meadows CDC (Opening 2012) – Bldg. 333 761st Tank Battalion

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School-Age Care

The SAC program offers before- and/or after-school care for youth, 1st-5th Grade. Full-day programs are offered during school-out days, but all sites are closed on federal holidays. Winter, spring and summer camps are offered during school breaks.



Walker SAC – Bldg. 85018 Warrior Way, 287-4948

Muskogee SAC – Bldg. 52943 Tank Destroyer, 553-7706



Sites located in on-post elementary schools provide before- and afterschool care as well as full-day care on school-out days. Call 287-4948 for details.

Elementary School Sites:

• Clear Creek Elementary SAC

• Venable Village Elementary SAC

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Youth Centers

Youth centers are open for teens.



Comanche Youth Center - Bldg. 52019, Tank Destroyer near Comanche III, 287-5834

High Chaparral Youth Center – Bldg.5485, past shoppette in

Pershing Park, 287-5646

Bronco Youth Center – Bldg. 6602, Tank Destroyer Blvd., 287-8941

Montague Youth Center – Bldg. 70020, Clement Dr., 553-7662