Florida Youth Challenge Academy
Starke, FL
"To empower at-risk youth to become successful, productive citizens by leading, training and mentoring them through a highly disciplined and motivational environment, free from outside distractions."
National Guard Youth Challenge Program
Free Intervention Program for At-Risk Youth Ages 16-18
At a Glance
Established
2001
Program Type
Youth Challenge
Administered By
National Guard
State
Florida
The Verdict
Located on the 73,000-acre Camp Blanding Joint Training Center—one of the largest National Guard installations in the Southeast—the Florida Youth Challenge Academy has transformed over 5,000 at-risk youth since 2001. As one of the few Youth Challenge Programs that is also a state-certified high school, FLYCA offers a genuine second chance for 16-18 year old Floridians who have disengaged from traditional education.
The 17.5-month program combines a rigorous 22-week residential phase with 12 months of post-graduate mentorship, producing graduates with 72% GED completion rates—significantly higher than the 56% national average for similar populations.
Campus & Cadet Life
About
The Florida Youth Challenge Academy is a community-based program that leads, trains, and mentors at-risk youth to become productive citizens. The voluntary program is for 16- to 18-year-old high school dropouts and provides a highly regimented, motivational environment.
Admissions & Selectivity
Admissions Philosophy
developmental
Key Requirements
- Must be a Florida resident aged 16-18
- Must be credit deficient (failed any classes) or dropped out of high school
- Must never have been adjudicated of a felony
- No pending legal matters
- Willing to become drug-free
- Physically and mentally capable of completing the program
- Participation is entirely voluntary (no court or parent can compel attendance)
- Must complete video orientation and admissions interview
Location
Program Details
Eligible Ages
16-18 years old
Residential Phase
22 weeks
Mentorship Phase
12 months
Cost
FREE
Annual Enrollment
22
Gender
coed
Eligibility
State Resident
Participation
Voluntary
Barracks Life
Housing Type
barracks
Daily Schedule
Cadets follow a highly regimented schedule throughout the 22-week residential phase at Camp Blanding. The day integrates eight core curriculum components: academics, physical fitness, health and hygiene, citizenship, life skills, job skills, leadership/followership, and service to community. All cadets are drug tested and must maintain tobacco and alcohol-free status. Family visits during the residential phase are not permitted, though cadets receive a designated Family Day for parental support, and mail communication is actively encouraged.
Discipline Model
FLYCA operates in a highly disciplined, motivational environment modeled on military structure. Cadets are held to strict standards of conduct with zero tolerance for drug use—any positive drug test results in immediate dismissal. The quasi-military framework emphasizes chain of command, peer accountability, and progressive responsibility. The isolated campus environment is designed to eliminate outside distractions and foster focused personal development.
Program Outcomes
Success Metrics
Post-residential placement includes higher education, employment, or military service
Post-Program Pathways
N/A (program focuses on GED completion and career readiness)
Note: Youth Challenge programs focus on GED completion, credit recovery, and life skills development—not traditional college prep metrics.
Physical Training
Physical Fitness Program
Physical fitness is an integral part of daily cadet life. Cadets perform physical training based on the President's Challenge, a standardized fitness assessment developed from the 1985 President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports National School Population Fitness Survey, the Amateur Athletic Union Physical Fitness Program, and the Canada Fitness Award Program. All cadets participate in mandatory daily physical training as one of the eight core curriculum components.
Facilities
FLYCA is located on Camp Blanding Joint Training Center, one of the most comprehensive military training facilities in the southeastern United States. The 73,000-acre installation includes athletic fields, training areas, and physical fitness facilities. Camp Blanding serves as a key training location for active-duty military, reserve units, National Guard units, and law enforcement agencies.
Note: Youth Challenge programs emphasize physical fitness as one of the Eight Core Components, focusing on building endurance, strength, and healthy habits rather than varsity athletics.
Photo Gallery
Related Schools
Georgia Youth Challenge Academy - Fort Eisenhower
Fort Eisenhower, GA
Fort Eisenhower Youth Challenge Academy (FEYCA), established in 2000, is a free 22-week residential program that helps at-risk youth earn a high school diploma through a partnership with Foothills Regional High School. Located near Augusta, Georgia, the program uses a military-style approach to transform lives.
Georgia Youth Challenge Academy - Fort Stewart
Fort Stewart, GA
The Fort Stewart Youth Challenge Academy (FSYCA) is a 22-week residential program that helps at-risk youth earn a high school diploma, recover credits, or take college classes. The program focuses on developing motivated cadets through academic and life skills training.
Alaska Military Youth Academy
JBER, AK
The Alaska Military Youth Academy is a National Guard Youth Challenge Program that helps at-risk youth develop self-confidence, discipline, leadership skills, and life-coping skills.
Appalachian Challenge Academy
Grays Knob, KY
To intervene in and reclaim the lives of 16 - 18 year old Kentuckians and produce program graduates with the tools and skills necessary to succeed in society.
Battle Born Youth Challenge Academy
Carlin, NV
The mission of the Battle Born Youth Challenge Academy is to reclaim the potential of qualified and resilient youth through education, training, and service to the community.
Bluegrass Challenge Academy
Fort Knox, KY
The Mission of the Kentucky National Guard Bluegrass Youth Challenge Program is to intervene and reclaim the lives of at-risk youth to produce program graduates with the values, skills, education and self-discipline necessary to excel as adults.
Guides & Resources
Florida's FES Scholarship: A Military Dependent's Path to Private School
How military families stationed in Florida can use the Family Empowerment Scholarship to fund private military school tuition—regardless of income level.
National Guard Youth Challenge Academies: What to Expect
A parent's guide to Youth Challenge programs—free residential programs for at-risk teens ages 16-18 run by the National Guard.
Free Military Schools: Your Complete Guide to No-Tuition Options
Yes, free military schools exist. Public academies, charter schools, service academies, and Youth Challenge programs offer tuition-free military education—each with different requirements and trade-offs.
Military School vs. Therapeutic Boarding: Knowing the Difference
A critical guide for parents of struggling teens. We clarify the stark difference between the discipline-based structure of a military school and the clinical intervention of a therapeutic program.
The ROI of Military School: Scholarships and Service Academy Appointments
Analyze the long-term financial return on military school investment. From ROTC scholarships to service academy appointments, understand the value proposition.
Alabama's CHOOSE Act: Using ESA Funds for Military School
How Alabama families can use Education Savings Account funds from the CHOOSE Act to pay for private military school tuition.