EDUCATION

Florida Youth ChalleNGe Academy

by: Ben Barksdale

During the 1980's, the Rockefeller Foundation identified the need in our country to provide opportunities for young people working to overcome problems in their lives which included being high school dropouts. In 1991 the Joint Armed Services Committee directed the National Guard to develop a plan to “Add value to America“, by providing values, skills, education and self-discipline to young people incorporating the structure and espirit de corps found in the military model. A five-year ChalleNGe Pilot Program began operating in ten states in 1993 under Public Law 102-484 and has since been embraced by more than 29 states. In July of 2001, the Florida Youth ChalleNGe Academy (FLYCA) opened its doors at Camp Blanding in Starke, Florida for its first class. This program, initiated by the National Guard (hence the capital NG in the name), sought to help young men and women in Florida who were dropping out of school, finding themselves in trouble with the law, and losing their way. Now, 20 years later, FLYCA has graduated over 5500 young men and women from all over the State of Florida, remaining open and safe even in the midst of the pandemic. The Academy is completely tuition free and is funded by a cooperative agreement between the State of Florida (through the Department of Military Affairs, Department of

Juvenile Justice and Department of Children and Families) and the Federal Government (through the Department of Defense and the National Guard Bureau).

The Academy’s mission is to “empower at-risk youth to become successful, productive citizens…” by focusing on the whole student (or cadet) and not just their academic needs. While it is vital to have your education to succeed, so many necessary skills are a must to be able to deal with the daily pace of adulthood. FLYCA provides training on healthy living and nutrition, how to get a job and complete an interview, how to deal with conflict, registering to vote and the democratic process, how to be a good leader and follower, and other topics beyond the classroom. This training and the development of good daily habits from living on campus for 22 weeks helps to build a foundation to support cadets when they graduate from the residential phase of the program.

Beyond training the whole cadet, one of the key aspects that makes the ChalleNGe program unique is the focus on each cadet being matched with a mentor who will work with them for one year after they graduate from the Academy. While in residence, the cadets create a document of written goals called the Post-Residential Action Plan (or P-RAP for short). Both the cadet and their mentor use these after graduation to stay on track with goals and adapt when adversity comes their way when trying to reach those goals. This support after completing the program, with the help of the cadet’s case manager, allows graduates to break old habits and achieve success, especially returning home to the same environment they left before attending the Academy.

The Florida Youth ChalleNGe Academy is unfortunately often considered one of Florida’s best-kept secrets. Even as the Academy celebrates its 20-year anniversary, many counties and school administrators don’t know about this resource right in their backyard. But while FLYCA may not be a common thought in the state, people will most certainly have run into a success story from the Academy and not even realized it. Graduates are everywhere throughout the state and beyond, working, going to school, serving in the military, buying homes, building families, sending their own children to school and living the successful life that many of them couldn’t picture before attending FLYCA. Staff are often privileged to run into graduates as we go about our business and the comments are often the same. “FLYCA changed my life” and “I wouldn’t be the person I am today” are common. Graduates who completed the program years ago remember staff fondly, even as we are struggling to remember their name among the 5500 plus graduates. It is these successes that drive the staff to continue the mission, as difficult as it can be at times, to empower these young men and women to be the successful individuals they can’t yet imagine.

From the Editor/President of the Bay County Chamber of Commerce:

It is with great pride that we publish this story as I am an advocate for this program. My youngest granddaughter, Ashlyn, was struggling in public school and just didn’t fit the mold of the normal classroom environment. We were losing her quickly, but my daughter (her mother) kept pushing and looking for opportunities and came across this amazing program. I am proud to report that my granddaughter is thriving now and at the age of 17 has received her high school diploma and has landed a great job with the folks at SheltAir as she has a huge desire to obtain her pilot's license and pursue a career in aviation and/or the military. This is a complete about-face for this young lady, and I couldn’t be more proud! If you have a student that is at risk, there are options available and you can’t go wrong with this opportunity. The student has to want to make a change. You can’t MAKE them go and there is an application, interview and selection process in place. I cannot lie. It was a long five months not being able to physically touch and hug due to COVID as family days were not possible. They must earn their privileges of making phone and Facetime calls. We all wrote more letters than we had in a lifetime but it was all worth it to see our kid shine again! KUDOS to the staff at FLYCA and our State Legislature for continuing to support this worthwhile program.