The strength of our nation's military force is heavily dependent on the strength of the military family.  As former Secretary of the Army Pete Green stated,
"We recruit the service member, but we retain the family." At Technology Playground, we openly embrace the responsibility to support the resiliency of
 military families, through providing a solid array of enrichment activities that are customized to meet the unique needs of children whose parent or parents
actively serve in the United States Armed Forces.
 
Techplay is not "reinventing the wheel", as we have a solid service legacy of providing enriched academic, cultural, and social experiences for youth
within our nation's capital. We have been particularly successful with bridging the interests of youth with a desire to pursue more involvement with
entrepreneurship, and information technology experiences.
 
Accordingly, TechPlay is pleased to reveal it's newest initiative: Patriot Keepers Program
 

The Patriot Keepers Program(PKP)will target children of military personnel that reside within the greater national captial area, and between the ages of
 8-18 years old, that have a desire to engage any of the following components:
 
 Drop - In Services: Through our volunteer corp and collaborative relationship with Concerned Black Men(CBM), we will provide mentoring services
 with an emphasis on maximizing academic achievement, and maintaining a healthy emotional balance between home-school-community in spite of
 the challenges associates with having a parent that is deployed.
 
 One-Stop Services: Techplay is negotiating with area military installations to secure appropriate space that will allow our service team to provide
 a continuum of satellite programs that are embedded within the installations. The purpose is to bring services closer to those youth that reside on
 military installations, as well as, attend school there, and are possibly limited in their experience exchange with the richness of art, culture, and
 recreation that exists in the adjacent communities.
 
 Youth Entrepreneurship: Providing youth with the education and knowledge of becoming self sufficient and possibly changing their economic outcome.  This program offers youth the opportunity of identifying, developing, building and potentially launching their own business.

Scholarship Boot Camps: Teaches youth how to navigate the scholarship research maze and  maximize their eligibility for scholarship dollars.

Junior Ambassador Corp:  We will ensure that youth are exposed to visits, internships, field-trips, and community service projects which afford this unique
cadre of youth to fully experience the magic of residing so close to the pillars of a government that their parents are sacrificing to protect and defend. Techplay will advocate with its many federal partners to ensure that member youth are well-prepared to compete for internship opportunities, and given special consideration for selection.

Youth of military families  or their parents/guardians can contact our office at (202) 667-3409 to get start date information and program services locations.