Youth Challenge Academies (National Guard)
National Guard Youth Challenge Program academies offering at-risk youth ages 16-18 a path to earn their GED or high school diploma through military-style training.
37 institutions listed
Challenge Academies by State
Browse Challenge Academies (37 programs)
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.
Capital Guardian Youth Challenge
Laurel, MD
The Capital Guardian Youth Challenge Academy (CGYCA) is a life intervention, dropout reintegration, and General Education Development (GED) preparatory program, run by the District of Columbia National Guard in partnership with the Office of the State Superintendent of Education for the District of Columbia.
Commonwealth Challenge Youth Academy
Virginia Beach, VA
Commonwealth Challenge Youth Academy is a quasi-military alternative education program for at-risk youth, sponsored by the Virginia National Guard. The program focuses on developing academic skills, leadership, and self-discipline in a structured residential environment.
Discovery Challenge Academy
Lathrop, CA
The mission of the Discovery Challenge Academy National Guard Challenge Program is to intervene in and reclaim the lives of teens, ages 16-18, at risk of not graduating on time, through programs that develop life skills, values, education, and self-discipline necessary to succeed as productive citizens.
Florida Youth Challenge Academy
Starke, FL
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.
Freestate Challenge Academy
Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD
The Freestate Challenge Academy is a voluntary, quasi-military program that provides at-risk youth with the values, life skills, education, and self-discipline needed to succeed as productive citizens. The tuition-free program offers a 22-week residential military-style program for adolescents to change their future for the better.
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.
Grizzly Youth Academy
San Luis Obispo, CA
Grizzly Youth Academy is a partnership between the California National Guard and the Grizzly Challenge Charter School. The mission of the program is to intervene in and reclaim the lives of 16-18 year old students at risk of dropping out, providing them with the values, life skills, education, and self-discipline necessary to succeed as productive citizens.
Hawaii Job Challenge Academy
Hilo, HI
The Hawaii Job Challenge Academy is a 5-month residential vocational training program for Youth Challenge Academy graduates ages 17-20. As the fifth phase of Hawaii's National Guard Youth Challenge Program, JCA provides career certifications, workforce readiness training, and continued mentorship to help young adults successfully transition into employment or higher education.
Hawaii National Guard Youth Challenge Academy
Kapolei, HI
The mission of the National Guard Youth Challenge Program is to intervene in and reclaim the lives of 16-18 year old high school dropouts, producing program graduates with the values, life skills, education, and self-discipline necessary to succeed as productive citizens.
Hoosier Youth Challenge Academy
Knightstown, IN
Indiana's Hoosier Youth Challenge Academy offers military-based training to unemployed/underemployed, crime-free and drug-free high-school dropouts 16-18 years of age. The academy trains and mentors these youth to develop the values, skills, education and self-discipline to become successful young adults.
Idaho Youth Challenge Academy
Pierce, ID
The mission of the Idaho Youth Challenge Academy is to intervene in and reclaim the lives of at-risk youth to produce program graduates with the values, skills, education and self-discipline necessary to succeed as responsible and productive citizens of adults.
Keystone State Challenge Academy
Annville, PA
KSCA uses a military academy style training model to provide structure and discipline for youth between the ages of 16 and 18 years old. It helps prepare them with skills they will need in adulthood.
Lincoln's Challenge Academy
Rantoul, IL
Lincoln's Challenge Academy is a youth intervention program in Illinois that utilizes a quasi-military model to provide a structured and disciplined learning environment for at-risk youth. The academy focuses on classroom instruction, community service, life skills, and physical training to help cadets succeed.
Louisiana National Guard Youth Challenge Program - Camp Beauregard
Pineville, 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 - 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.
Michigan Youth Challenge Academy
Battle Creek, MI
The Michigan Youth Challenge Academy offers at-risk males and females ages 15 1/2 through 18 an opportunity to graduate high school and realize positive life changes through an intensive five and a half month residential and 12-month post-residential program.
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.
Montana Youth Challenge Academy
Dillon, MT
The Montana Youth Challenge Academy (MYCA) provides a structured environment that helps teenagers overcome common challenges. The program helps them focus on their academic progress, emotional well-being, and physical health.
Mountaineer Challenge Academy
Kingwood, WV
The Mountaineer Challenge Academy is a residential program operated by the West Virginia National Guard at Camp Dawson. It provides a safe, secure, and structured learning environment for at-risk youth ages 16-18, offering them a second chance to obtain their high school diploma and hands-on career training through a 22-week quasi-military residential program.
New Jersey Youth Challenge Academy
Sea Girt, NJ
The mission of the New Jersey Youth Challenge Academy is to be a leadership academy for youth so they become responsible and productive citizens of their community, state, and country.
New Mexico National Guard Youth Challenge Academy
Roswell, NM
Through training, discipline, and mentoring, the New Mexico National Guard Youth Challenge Academy provides the education, leadership, character development and life coping skills to New Mexico's youth so they may become productive citizens.
Oregon Youth Challenge High School
Bend, OR
The Oregon Youth Challenge Program (OYCP) is a 17-month National Guard intervention program established in 1999 to help Oregon teens aged 15-18 who have dropped out or fallen behind academically. The program combines a rigorous 22-week residential phase with 24 months of post-residential mentoring, providing a highly structured quasi-military environment where cadets can recover credits, earn high school diplomas or GEDs, and develop the values, life skills, and self-discipline necessary to become productive citizens.
Puerto Rico Youth Challenge Academy
Juana Díaz, PR
The Program's mission is to intervene in the life of at-risk youth who are high school dropouts and produce graduates with the values, skills, education and self-discipline necessary to succeed as adults and become productive law abiding citizens.
Sooner Job Challenge
Oklahoma City, OK
The Sooner Job Challenge Program (SJC) provides selected Thunderbird Challenge Program graduates with a High School equivalency diploma and quality Career and Technical Education leading to industry-recognized certification.
South Carolina Youth Challenge Academy
Eastover, SC
The Mission of South Carolina Youth Challenge Academy is to empower and prepare youth to develop personal, academic, and career success through education, mentoring, and training.
Sunburst Youth Challenge Academy
Los Alamitos, CA
Sunburst Youth Challenge Academy is a tuition-free, 5.5-month residential military-style high school operated by the California National Guard in partnership with the Orange County Department of Education. Located on Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos, the program serves at-risk youth ages 16-18 who are behind in credits, helping them earn up to 65 high school credits while developing leadership, discipline, and life skills. Since 2008, over 5,000 students have graduated from the program.
Tarheel Challenge Academy
Salemburg, NC
Tarheel Challenge Academy is a quasi-military program for 16-18 year old high school dropouts. It aims to provide graduates with the values, life skills, education, 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.
Thunderbird Youth Challenge Program
Pryor Creek, OK
To intervene in the lives of Oklahoma's high school students to affect a positive change in those youth through Challenge, Respect and Education.
Washington Youth Challenge Academy
Bremerton, WA
The Washington Youth Challenge Academy is a state-run residential and post-residential intervention program for at-risk youth, providing a highly disciplined and professional learning environment to help them improve their educational level and employment potential.
Wisconsin Challenge Academy
Fort McCoy, WI
The Wisconsin National Guard Challenge Academy is a 22-week residential program at Fort McCoy that helps at-risk youth ages 16-18 earn their High School Equivalency Diploma while developing leadership, discipline, and life skills through a quasi-military environment. Since 1998, the program has offered Wisconsin teens a second chance at education with an 87% HSED completion rate.
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