SCHRIEVER SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. – Space Base Delta 41’s Child and Youth Programs flight is enhancing family readiness by providing award-winning quality and affordable childcare and educational support, enabling warfighters to focus on the mission with the peace of mind that their families are supported.
In recognition of its exemplary support to families, Schriever’s CYP was awarded Best Child Youth Programs Flight by U. S. Space Force Combat Forces Command and is now advancing to compete at the U. S. Air Force service level.
“The program’s success is anchored by our highly trained and dedicated staff,” said Lt. Col. Kylie Kopp, 50th Force Support Squadron commander. “By focusing on professional development, we have driven staff turnover below 25%, creating a stable and nurturing environment for children to flourish.”
In the last year, the CYP has reduced its Child Development Center waitlist by 93%, opened three additional classrooms, and increased the CDC’s staffing to 94.9%, achieving the best staffing in the Space Force and resulting in the lowest unmet needs for childcare in the entire service.
“We are incredibly proud of the recent accomplishments of our Child and Youth Programs,” Kopp said. “Through our programs, we are providing military families with access to top-notch childcare while developing early education professionals.”
The CYP offers a wide array of developmental programs and services tailored to different age groups, including the School Age Care Program, the CDC and the School Liaison Program. For older children, dynamic programs for youth ages 5 to 18 are available, offering activities in health and wellness, sports, recreation, the arts, education and career development.
“In 2025, we launched several initiatives aimed at providing children with additional opportunities for growth and development,” said Audra Sanders, Child and Youth Programs flight chief. “To include our Youth Programs summer camps — which provided 11 camps for 140 young individuals over a 10 week period — and our establishment of a Home School Resource Library to provide targeted support and STEM resources in accordance with Executive Order 14191 and a Secretary of War memorandum that call on our military to ensure that military-connected families receive strong educational support to maintain morale and readiness.”
The CYP invests heavily in supporting children with disabilities. Demonstrating a commitment to all military children, the flight led a multi-agency collaboration to champion SB25-073, which established legal protections in Colorado for military-connected disabled children on individualized education programs, ensuring a seamless continuation of support as they relocate. CYP also aims to empower parents of children with disabilities by offering educational opportunities through collaboration with numerous community partners, to include the University of Colorado Colorado Springs for special education training and the Children's Hospital for discussions on supporting children with autism.
"With over a century of combined experience in education, our team understands that patience is paramount to a child's successful development,” Sanders said. “Our programs are tailored to the specific, and appropriate, needs of each individual child. Through unwavering patience, expert guidance and a deep sense of understanding, we build not only skills in the children under our care, but also the confidence that is crucial for their success."
By ensuring children are safe, engaged and educated, the CYP allows Guardians and Airmen to focus on their critical missions with confidence and peace of mind.
“For Team Schriever Guardians and Airmen, their operational success in space begins with our dedicated support on the ground,” Kopp said.
For more information on resources that support military children and their parents, click on this link: https://www.war.gov/Spotlights/Month-of-the-Military-Child/.