The Alaska Military Youth Academy’s ChalleNGe Program is designed to meet the life coping skills and educational needs of 16 to 18 year old Alaskans. The Youth ChalleNGe program is a 22-week residential school based on the traditional military training model.
Cadets are instructed in the following areas: Life Coping Skills, Academic Excellence, Job Skills, Responsible Citizenship, Leadership/Followership, Health & Hygiene, Physical Fitness, and Service to Community. In addition to these skills, cadets work toward the completion of a GED or High School Diploma.
What is the Alaska Military Youth Academy?
The Alaska Military Youth Academy (AMYA) is an accredited special purpose school that runs several programs designed to help Alaskan youth make positive life changes. The Academy is a division of the Alaska Department of Military & Veterans Affairs. The largest and best known of the Academy’s programs is its ChalleNGe Program. Although ChalleNGe is military in structure and style, it is not a “boot camp”. While there is plenty of physical training, structure and discipline, there is also an intense academic and skills development curriculum.
Other Academy programs include STARBASE, a science and technology program for grade school children, a State of Alaska testing center, a Workforce Development training site and the state’s largest mentoring program. Our purpose is best spelled out through our vision and mission statements.
The AMYA Vision:
“To have a significant positive impact
upon the future of the at-risk youth of Alaska”
The AMYA Mission:
“To help intervene in and reclaim the lives of at-risk youth and produce program graduates with the values, skills, education, and self-discipline to succeed as adults. ”
What is the ChalleNGe Program?
The AMYA ChalleNGe Program is a course designed to help young Alaskans achieve high school completion and develop the life skills necessary to be successful in today’s American society. The AMYA ChalleNGe course closely follows a national model called the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program. ChalleNGe is comprised of a 22-week mentally and physically demanding residential phase, followed by a year of follow-up and support to help students (cadets) maintain positive lifestyles. Unlike “boot camps” ChalleNGe includes demanding academic, healthy life skills and teamwork elements along with a strong volunteer adult mentor program to support students.
During the residential phase, students live in upgraded military barracks, attend school, and participate in a rigorous curriculum designed to instill healthy, life-long skills that have been time-proven to lead to success.
During the post-residential phase, students are required to be in school, working, or both, and must report monthly to the Academy’s mentor program staff. Students are also required to maintain contact with their adult volunteer mentors.
What is the AMYA mentoring program?
Prior to or during a ChalleNGe class, each student is matched with a caring, responsible adult mentor who acts as a role model, helps the student stay on track with their individual life plan, and assists with employment and education needs. Mentor-student matches are monitored and supported by academy Mentor Program staff. Mentor volunteers receive free training by experienced academy trainers. Students also receive training to help them communicate effectively with their mentors and understand the importance of their new relationships.
AMYA runs the largest mentoring program in Alaska. The mentoring relationships continue for a year following a cadet’s graduation from the 22-week-long ChalleNGe residential phase.
Mentoring and Aftercare
The search for a positive role-model in the form of an adult mentor for each Cadet begins before the Cadet even enters the Alaska Military Youth Academy.
Each class of the Academy consists of 17.5 months in two phases. The first is residential consisting of the most comprehensive 2 week evaluation of candidates for the program included with the remaining 20 weeks of immersion into a qiasi-military environment. The second phase is the ChalleNGe post-residential phase continuing the year of aftercare. During the residential phase the adult mentor visits the Cadet, writes letters, attends special events, tutors and takes the Cadet on pass. This caring, responsible adult friendship increases the Cadet’s chance for continued success.
During the one year of aftercare (which follows the graduation from the residential phase) the Mentor and Cadet continue regular weekly contact by face-to-face visits, telephone, letter and email. Both the Cadet and the Mentor send reports monthly to the aftercare office reporting the Cadet’s placement on the job or in school.
The encouragement and support provided by the Mentors are an important part of each Cadet’s success in work and school and sustaining the life-style changes made in the residential phase.
To qualify to be a mentor the adult chosen must be over the age of 21, the same gender as the cadet, and be able to pass a background clearance. The mentor is asked to complete a mentor application (found under mentor application on this website) and attend a one-time mentor orientation class. Many Cadets in the past have asked a godparent, church youth group leader or pastor, former employer, or father or mother of a friend to be the Mentor. Aunts, uncles and grandparents may be Mentors, as long as they are not immediate family members and are the same gender as the Cadet.
Mentoring is a critical part of the ChalleNGe Program. For many youth, having a relationship with a caring adult who is a consistent and positive role model will make the difference between success and failure, not only during the residential phase, but during the aftercare as well.
The ChalleNGe Program is now the second largest mentoring program in the nation. The National Mentoring Partnership has awarded “The Excellence in Mentoring Award” for Program Leadership to the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program for its mentoring accomplishments.
Now accepting Cadet Applications for the 2013-1 class.
Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Please submit your application as early as possible. Cycle begins **October 1, 2012**- this date has been revised from September 26, 2012.
For more information, please call or email one of the admissions offices:
Dimond Center Admissions Office: (If you live within the Anchorage area or in approximately 60 mile radius- contact Dimond. If you are outside this area, please use Fairbanks Admission Office)
907.375.5556-Keshia Stroud keshia.stroud@alaska.gov
907.375.5554-Ralph Harris ralph.harris@alaska.gov
toll free: 877.242.5643
or stop by and visit in person:
Suite 3-229
Dimond Center Tower
800 East Dimond Blvd.
Anchorage, Alaska 99515
