Pictured are (back row) Officer Carla Jones, John Grey Jr., Sgt. Keith Schweitzer and Officer Vernotis Williams; (middle row) Sgt. Chris Feuerstein, Raven Gillard, Kevius Shaw, Skyler Rivera, Stephen Beauford, Emory Warrick; (front row) Diquone Sears (head turned), Danielle Schweitzer, Zaccheus Nelson and Vernotis

Ten Valdosta youths graduated from a year-long program centered around living a drug-free lifestyle.

 Drug Education For Youth, or DEFY, is a joint program led by the Valdosta Police Department and Moody Air Force Base for children 8 to 11 years old. Its purpose is to build youth with character, leadership, and confidence so they are equipped to engage in positive, healthy lifestyles as drug-free citizens and have the necessary skills to be successful in their lives through coordinated community participation, commitment, and leadership.

Ten boys and girls from the area celebrated at Wild Adventures after successfully completing the DEFY camp and graduating, receiving certificates for their accomplishments

Officer Vernotis Williams of the Valdosta Police Department is the acting operations director for DEFY.

He said about 15 kids started out in the program at the beginning of the 2009 term, but only 10 of them stuck to the rules of the program and, therefore, graduated.

DEFY is a mentorship program originating at the Air Force base, according to Williams.

“The base saw there were a lot of kids who had parents deployed with the military and needed something positive to do with their time,” he said.

Williams added that the success of the program is definitely a joint effort with Sgt. Keith Schweitzer from Moody Air Force Base.

“Keith is so dedicated to these kids and is just as enthusiastic as I am about the program,” Williams said.

There are two phases to the camp. These include classes geared towards proper etiquette, use of manners, teamwork, and maintaining good grades, just to name a few. The program is about teaching the youth in every aspect of life.

Williams emphasized that the mentors don’t just hang out with the kids and play games all day.

The classes are held Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. when school is not in session and on an appointed Saturday when school is in session.

At this time, the program is only for children between ages 8 and 11 and only 15 to 20 youth will be permitted each year.

“Right now, there are only four of us mentoring, so to make sure each child is receiving what he or she needs, we set the limit at five kids per adult,”  Williams said.

Currently the police department, the Valdosta Fire Department and Moody AFB are involved in the program and Williams hopes to add some teachers to that list.

The program and its activities are offered at no cost to the children.

“It’s absolutely free of cost to them,” Williams said, “but we do require the kids get dropped off and picked up from the police station.”