The young people in the National Guard's Youth Challenge Academy are not enlisted into the military. It is a program for high school dropouts, to give them a second chance at education and life.
http://www.scguard.com/challenge/
The South Carolina Military Department continues its commitment to programs that enhance the community. One of these programs targets at risk youth. It is the South Carolina National Guard's Youth ChalleNGe Academy. The Youth ChalleNGe Academy is a 17 month program that uses military structure and discipline to increase the employability and educational levels of at risk youth. The 22 week residential phase is located on the campus of the Wil Lou Gray Opportunity School. After cadets complete the initial 22 weeks, they return to their home communities for a 12 month mentoring phase. ChalleNGe cadets are South Carolina residents age 16 to 18, male or female, drug free, unemployed high school dropouts with no legal impediments to success. Cadets learn teamwork, self-worth, citizenship, individual responsibility, and life and work skills in addition to academic classwork primarily focused on the GED. The Youth ChalleNGe Academy can accommodate 225 students per class with 2 classes per year. The South Carolina Academy is 1 of 20 in the nation. Each program is federally funded through the National Guard Bureau with funds starting the first year at $2.1 million dollars. Matching state funds of 25% the first year increase to 40% over five years.
ELIGIBILITY REGUIREMENTS
A cadet must be a citizen of South Carolina and legal resident of the United States
Entrance is open to both male and female, 16 to 18 years of age
A high school dropout to include expulsions from the school system
Unemployed or Underemployed
Drug Free (ALL CADETS WILL BE TESTED)
A cadet cannot be under indictment or convicted of a felony offense
Each cadet must be physically and mentally capable of completing the Academy
