Teens take part in a team-building exercise during a training session at the Chapel Annex, recently, designed to help children become more resilient in sports, school and dealing with the hardships of being in a military family. The session was a pil...

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii (April 4, 2014) -- Twenty-nine teenagers took time away from their spring break, recently, to take part in a Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness (CSF2) training program, which is designed to enable them to learn mental skills to enhance their communication, academics, athletic performances and relationships with others.

The training was held, here, in the Chapel Annex and was conducted by all members of the CSF2 Schofield Barracks Training Center staff.

"The skills we taught to the teens are the same skills being taught to their parents in the military. Our goal is to get the whole family practicing resilience and performance skills and talking the same language," said Maj. Christopher Haynes, CSF2 program manager for U.S. Army Hawaii.

The approach to teaching teens differs from the lessons their parents are exposed to because it is much more interactive and age appropriate. Activities such as the "rising hula hoop" illustrate many of the lessons being taught and examples are intertwined throughout the program.

In this second iteration of Teen Resilience and Performance, the students learned about how their thoughts affect consequences, how thinking traps can block critical information, how character strengths can help you perform and get through challenges and how effective praise and active constructive responding can build better relationships.

"Falling into a thinking trap is like being a horse with blinders on. You miss things and see things the way you want to see them," said a 12-year-old middle school student when asked why it was important to identify thinking traps.

The evening included a break for pizza, and then it was back to work. Students acted out various ways to respond to others' "good news" and learned that a few extra moments showing interest by asking more questions benefited both the sharer and the responder.

"I loved this program. They made it fun, yet serious. I really enjoyed it," said a ninth-grader attending the event.

CSF2 will continue with the next event scheduled for August. Contact CSF2 Schofield Barracks at 809-655-9804 for more information.