About Us

The Hawaii National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Academy (YCA) provides 16 to 19 year-old "at risk" youth a second chance to obtain their high school diploma and become productive citizens within the community.  Administered by the Hawaii National Guard since its inception in August 1994, YCA has graduated twenty-six classes totaling 2,185 students (as of June 2007). Currently, 89% of the Cadets that completed the program have earned their high school diploma.

Four things set Hawaii's Youth ChalleNGe Academy apart from other programs serving "at-risk" youth. 

• The five month Residential military based approach not only instills discipline and a sense of self worth, but also establishes an effective learning environment by supervising the students' time 24-hours a day. 
• Family support is nurtured in numerous parenting sessions. 
• The twelve month Post-Residential, mentoring period provides personalized guidance, to help each student face the difficult choices that establish a foundation for a productive future. 
• YCA takes an active interest in the success of its students well beyond the mentorship phase.