Louisiana National Guard Youth Challenge Program - Camp Beauregard
Pineville, LA
National Guard Youth Challenge Program
Free Intervention Program for At-Risk Youth Ages 16-18
At a Glance
Established
1993
Program Type
Youth Challenge
Administered By
National Guard
State
Louisiana
The Verdict
The Louisiana National Guard Youth Challenge Program at Camp Beauregard isn't a boot camp—it's a second chance. As one of the original 10 pilot programs launched nationwide in 1993, this 5-month residential program has helped transform approximately 25,000 Louisiana youth across the state's three campuses.
Located on the historic 12,500-acre Camp Beauregard—Louisiana's largest National Guard installation—cadets live in a structured, military-style environment where they earn their GED/HiSET while developing life skills, discipline, and leadership. The program is completely free, and more than 80% of graduates go on to further education, employment, or military service.
Campus & Cadet Life
About
The mission of the National Guard Youth Challenge Program is to intervene in and reclaim the lives of 16 to 18 year old youths, producing program graduates with the values, life skills, education, and self-discipline necessary to succeed as productive citizens.
Admissions & Selectivity
Admissions Philosophy
developmental
Key Requirements
- Must be 16-18 years old on the program's first day
- Must be a U.S. citizen and Louisiana resident
- Strong desire to complete a structured and disciplined program
- Complete online application and attend an in-person interview
- Bring Social Security number to interview
- Must not be currently enrolled in high school
Location
Program Details
Eligible Ages
16-18 years old
Residential Phase
22 weeks
Mentorship Phase
12 months
Cost
FREE
Annual Enrollment
225
Gender
coed
Eligibility
State Resident
Participation
Voluntary
Barracks Life
Housing Type
barracks
Daily Schedule
The 22-week residential phase follows a highly structured military-style schedule with 24-hour supervision. Cadets attend daily certified instruction in math and reading while working toward a high school equivalency diploma or earning credits through the CCCR program. The schedule includes physical training, life skills classes, and community service projects. Cadets complete 40 hours of service to the community. Family contact is maintained through weekly phone calls, letters, scheduled Family Day events, and home pass weekend visits. Cell phones are not permitted during the residential phase.
Discipline Model
YCP operates as a military-style alternative educational program with structured routines and peer accountability. The two-week Pre-Challenge Phase acclimates candidates to the environment before they become official cadets in the 20-week Residential Phase. The program emphasizes the eight core components: Academic Excellence, Physical Fitness, Job Skills, Service to Community, Health and Hygiene, Responsible Citizenship, Leadership/Followership, and Life Coping Skills. This is not a punitive boot camp but rather a developmental program focused on personal growth and second chances.
Program Outcomes
Success Metrics
80%+ pursue further education, employment, or military service
Post-Program Pathways
Not applicable (GED/HiSET program)
Note: Youth Challenge programs focus on GED completion, credit recovery, and life skills development—not traditional college prep metrics.
Physical Training
Physical Fitness Program
Daily physical fitness training is one of the eight core components of the program. All cadets participate in military-style training activities, running, and organized sports. The focus is on building physical discipline, teamwork, and personal health rather than competitive athletics. Physical fitness assessments track cadet progress throughout the residential phase.
Physical Activities
Facilities
Camp Beauregard encompasses 12,500 acres with extensive military training infrastructure including multiple firing ranges, vehicle training simulators, an urban assault course, counter-IED lanes, barracks buildings, dining facilities, and outdoor training areas. The Youth Challenge Program utilizes dedicated barracks and classroom facilities on the installation. As Louisiana's largest National Guard post, the campus provides a genuine military environment for cadet development.
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
Louisiana National Guard Youth Challenge Program - Camp Minden
Minden, LA
The mission of the National Guard Youth Challenge Program is to intervene in and reclaim the lives of 16 to 18 year old youths, producing program graduates with the values, life skills, education, and self-discipline necessary to succeed as productive citizens.
Louisiana National Guard Youth Challenge Program - Gillis Long
Carville, LA
The Louisiana National Guard Youth Challenge Program (YCP) is an alternative educational program which offers adolescents (16 -18) an opportunity to change their future. Students looking for a way to succeed outside of a traditional school setting learn self discipline, leadership, and responsibility while working to obtain a high school equivalency diploma.
Mississippi Youth Challenge Academy
Camp Shelby, MS
The mission of the Mississippi National Guard Youth Challenge Academy is to intervene in and reclaim the lives of sixteen to eighteen-year-old, male and females, who are struggling in the traditional educational environment and produce a program graduates with the values, life coping skills, education, employment potential and self-discipline necessary to succeed as productive citizens.
Texas Challenge Academy
Eagle Lake, TX
The Texas Challenge Academy is a 5 1/2-month quasi-military residential academy sponsored by the Texas National Guard. It is a tuition-free educational program for 15 1/2 to 18-year-old teens who are disengaged in school, offering academic instruction, structure, and discipline to help cadets develop personal accountability and become successful adults.
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.
Guides & Resources
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.
What Is a Military School?
Understanding the different types of military academies in the United States, from private boarding schools to public academies and Youth Challenge programs.
Girls in Command: The Unique Benefits of Military Education for Young Women
Military schools offer young women exceptional leadership opportunities, confidence building, and pathways to success in STEM and service academy appointments.
To the Future Cadet: A Letter from the Old Corps
A guide written directly to you—the student, not your parents. Real talk about what's coming, why the first week sucks, and why you'll thank your parents in ten years.