Parent FAQ
What is the DC National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Academy?
How can my teen apply to ChalleNGe?
Will my teen be able to get a GED at ChalleNGe?
Is military service required upon completion of the ChalleNGe Program?
Is military service an option after graduating from the ChalleNGe Program?
Is this a voluntary program?
Are there any costs to participants of this program?
What is the cost per student and who pays for it?
When did the program begin?
What are the plans for the ChalleNGe Program?
What is the purpose of ChalleNGe?
Mentor FAQ
What is the mentoring component of the ChalleNGe Program?
What is unique about ChalleNGe mentoring?
What are the results of the mentoring component of ChalleNGe?
What is the quality of the mentoring in the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program?
>> What is the DC National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Academy?
DC ChalleNGe is a co-educational, 17-month program for 16-18 year old high school dropouts who freely choose to make a change in their lives. Cadets must be drug-free, not in trouble with the law and high school dropouts. The program consists of a 5 1/2-month quasi-military Residential Phase and is followed by a 12-month Post-Residential Phase.
>> How can my teen apply to ChalleNGe?
Your teen may apply for the DC ChalleNGe Academy by selecting the application link on the left side of the How to Apply page. Please make sure your teen meets the eligibility requirements before applying. Information may also be obtained by contacting the DC ChalleNGe Program directly at 202-685-9986.
>> Will my teen be able to get a GED at ChalleNGe?
Academic classes are an integral part of the DC ChalleNGe program. Every effort is made to prepare cadets to pass the GED. Special testing sessions for both the Practice GED and the GED are coordinated through the University of the District of Columbia. Although obtaining the GED is a goal of the program, it is not required to graduate from the program. However, all cadets are expected to raise their math and reading levels in order to graduate from the program.
>> Is military service required upon completion of the ChalleNGe program?
No. Although ChalleNGe is 'quasi-military' in structure, cadets are not obligated or expected to join the service.
>> Is military service an option after graduating from the ChalleNGe program?
Completion of the ChalleNGe program with a GED enables graduates to enlist in the service.
>> Is this a voluntary program?
YES. All youth participating in ChalleNGe must do so VOLUNTARILY.
>> Are there any costs to participants of this program?
NO. This program is offered free of charge to its participants.
>> What is the cost per student and who pays for it?
The National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program is one of the most cost-effective programs for high-risk youth in the nation. It costs approximately $14,000 for each youth to complete the 17-month program. These funds are provided by the federal and District of Columbia governments.
>> When did the program begin?
The National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program began as a ten-state pilot program in 1993 by an act of Congress. In 1998, following a comprehensive evaluation, Congress approved the ChalleNGe program as a permanent program. Since then, the program has grown to include thirty sites in twenty-five states and Puerto Rico.
>> What are the plans for the ChalleNGe program?
It is hoped that the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program will be extended to all states that wish to have one. Each year, new states are added. Program leaders expect that the program will serve as many as 20,000 new mentoring relationships each year.
>> What is the purpose of ChalleNGe?
The purpose of the ChalleNGe Program is to develop the life skills, educational levels, and employment potential of at-risk youth through a structured intervention model. The ChalleNGe model focuses on eight core components that together improve cadet skills and facilitate holistic growth.
Mentors FAQ
>> What is the mentoring component of the ChalleNGe Program?
Mentoring is a core strategy of the ChalleNGe Program. Youth in the program are trained and matched with qualified adult mentors by the 13th week of the program; meeting each week for at least 14 months.
>> What is unique about ChalleNGe mentoring?
Many high impact youth programs produce dramatic improvements in the attitudes and behavior of youthful participants while they are engaged in the program. However, research shows that these program gains decay over time because graduates are not properly supported during their transition back to the community.
This is not the case with the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program. The mentoring component of the ChalleNGe Program is fully integrated into the residential phase of the program. Over 90 percent of ChalleNGe mentors are nominated by cadets at the beginning of the residential phase, eliminating the isolation many mentors feel when matched with strangers. Mentors are then screened, trained and matched with corpsmembers by the 13th week - the halfway point of the residential phase.
Following the match, mentoring relationships are closely monitored and supported by case managers for 14 months. During this time, mentors are actively involved in assisting cadets in the implementation of a life plan developed during the residential phase.
Mentors provide the continuity that most high impact programs lack. Case managed mentoring relationships help provide a seamless transition for cadets from the residential phase back into the community. As a result, most ChalleNGe Program graduates are employed or in school two and three years after graduation.
>> What are the results of the mentoring component of ChalleNGe?
Research also shows that mentoring boosts the Post-Residential success of graduates by 50 percent. Over 85 percent of the cadets engaged in mentoring relationships are productively employed or attending school 12 months after leaving the residential phase of the program.
Longitudinal studies show that ChalleNGe participants are continuing to engage in positive and productive lifestyles two or three years after completing the program. Most continue to benefit from ongoing mentoring relationships.
>> What is the quality of the mentoring in the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program?
The National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program meets or exceeds the national mentoring standards established by the National Mentoring Partnership. These standards encompass mentor recruiting, screening, training, matching, monitoring and support.
If you have further questions, please contact info@ngycp.org.
