4. IDYCA PARTNERS
National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program
State of Idaho / Military Division
City of Pierce
Joint School District 171 (Orofino School District)
Past, Present, Future Cadets and Their Families
5. ADMISSION CRITERIA
Voluntary admission
16-18 years of age on day of admission
Current high school dropout/expellee/at-risk
No pending legal action (charge, indictment, sentencing)
Never convicted of a felony
Not on probation for other than misdemeanor offenses
Drug free upon enrollment
Citizen or legal resident of the US and State of Idaho
Physically and mentally able to complete the program
6. Idaho Youth ChalleNGe
Academy
WHAT WE’RE NOT:
Not a juvenile detention center
Not a military recruiting program
Not a hospital, medical, or dental clinic
Not a mental health, drug or alcohol treatment center
CADETS AND PARENTS MUST:
Be informed
Be committed to success
Be honest with themselves and with us
Must be accountable and accept responsibility
8. ChalleNGe Structure
2 weeks
Total 17 ½ Months
20 weeks 52 weeks
2 PHASE PROGRAM
22-week Residential Phase – Goal: uses a structured Military-style
environment that emphasizes self-discipline and personal
responsibility.
First 2-weeks are an Acclimation Period – Goal: identify those students
that have the desire and discipline to complete the program. This is part
of the Residential Phase.
52-week Post-Residential Phase – Goal: the cadets work
towards goals created during the Residential phase, with the help
of their adult volunteer mentor.
12. Typical Weekday – Residential Phase
Daily Activities
0500 Wake-up/Accountability/Hygiene
0530-0600 Hygiene/Barracks Maintenance
0600-0730 Morning Chow/Personal Time
0735-0745 Colors/Formation
0745-1115 Academic Instruction
1115-1145 Lunch
1145-1530 Academic Instruction
1530-1600 Promotions/Announcements
1600-1700 Physical Training (PT)
1700-1730 TL Time/Big Book Time
1730-1900 Dinner/Personal Time
1900-1910 Formation
1910-2030 Hygiene/Snack/TL Time
2030-2050 Journal Entry/Relaxation Time
2050 Mount/Quit Time
2100 Lights Out
13. Squadron = Diversity
Thirty-Five to Fifty Cadets per Flight
From All Over The State of Idaho
Different Backgrounds
Different Beliefs
Different Experiences…
Will learn to become one team!
14. 8 CORE COMPONENTS
Academic Excellence
Health and Hygiene
Job Skills
Leadership/Followership
Life Coping Skills
Physical Fitness
Responsible Citizenship
Service to Community
15. ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
Recover High School credits and return to home high school to
graduate.
H.S. Equivalency – GEDplus, leading to:
Vo-Tech School
Community College
Employment, or
Military Service
17. BENEFITS OF A HS DIPLOMA
High school graduates earn an average of $503,000
more than drop outs over the course of their
working lifetime (until age 65).
18. HEALTH and HYGIENE
Good health, hygiene, and nutrition practices.
Substance abuse awareness and prevention.
Safe lifestyle choices—human sexuality, communicable
diseases, physical and emotional effects of their decisions.
Family planning.
19. JOB SKILLS
Job search skills—where/how to look for jobs, preparing
applications, resumes, and interview skills.
Education options—considering alternatives, selecting a
school, applications, financial aid.
Career options—vocational, service sector, public sector,
military service.
Work ethics—being a good employee and co-worker.
20. LEADERSHIP and FOLLOWERSHIP
Lessons/discussions on value-based leadership.
Focus on positive, moral, and ethical standards as a leader and/or
follower in any role—school, job, citizen.
Opportunities to serve in cadet leadership roles in large and small group
situations.
Performance evaluated, feedback provided
by IDYCA staff.
21. LIFE COPING SKILLS
To prepare the student for independent living, with a focus
on self-awareness and self-discipline
Personal financial management
Conflict resolution
Anger management
Goal setting and achievement
22. PHYSICAL FITNESS
Daily physical fitness—calisthenics, jogging, hiking, intramural sports,
etc.
Fitness program based on national standards established by the
President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports—the President’s
Challenge (www.presidentschallenge.org)
Expectation—cadets will be in the best shape of their life…and
hopefully committed to staying that way
23. RESPONSIBLE CITIZENSHIP
Understand federal, state, and local systems of government—
structure and processes
Individual rights and responsibilities as a citizen and registered
voter
Participate in cadet government
How to be a positive, contributing member of the community
24. SERVICE TO COMMUNITY
Cadets must complete a minimum of 40-hours of
volunteer service to the community projects or
conservation projects.
Work as individual, in small group, or large group.
Projects scheduled on Friday and/or Saturday.
25. Barracks Life
50 Cadets per bay (Open Bay)
Dorm Details (Cleaning)
Letter Writing/Journal Writing
Personal Hygiene
9:00 PM Lights Out…
26. RECAP
This Is A Tough Program
Physically Challenging
Mentally Demanding
Cadets Will Get Dirty
Cadets Will Be Sore
This Won’t Be A Free Ride!!!
27. "The National Guard Youth ChalleNGe
Program offers a future of promise to
those who have the will and desire to
pursue it. The Program is a 'hand up,'
not a 'hand out,' that provides youths
with the tools, support and knowledge
they need to start believing in
themselves again.“
- U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu
28. POST-RESIDENTIAL
MENTOR SUPPORT - 12
MONTHS
“Friendly Matches”
Screened & trained by IDYCA Staff
Provide an ongoing supportive adult for
encouragement, guidance, a listening ear, and a
connection to IDYCA during Post-Residential
Phase
29. Benefits of Mentoring
More likely to attend college
Improved grades
Less likely to use drugs
Less likely to act violently
Less likely to use alcohol
30. Mentor Eligibility
Must be same gender as youth
Should be at least 25 years old (some exceptions
made)
Should live within reasonable distance of where
the youth will live after the Residential Phase
Must NOT be a member of the family
31. Mentor Eligibility
(continued)
Must consent to criminal history background
check (free of any sex crimes; free of felonies,
DUI’s, alcohol or substance abuse within the last
five years)
Have a desire to volunteer some time for youth
and the Idaho Youth ChalleNGe Academy
32. Mentoring Commitment
Complete 2.5 hour online training
Attend a 4-hour training/orientation
Match with your student on Day One or in
person
Maintain weekly contact for the entire
mentoring relationship (including 4 hours of
personal contact each month during the
Post Residential Phase
Maintain faithful communication with your
Case Manager (once monthly) and provide
information on the Cadet’s placement status
34. IT IS TIME
We no longer have the luxury of assuming that at some
unknown future date, our youth will have opportunities
to resolve the many personal conflicts, and fears which
go unspoken every day. It is time to be deliberate in
providing youth safe and positive opportunities to dispel
their fears, and at the same time create value in their
existence and the rich diversity around them.
–Hasan Davis-