Youth Challenge Academy closing

Saturday, June 21, 2008MEGAN NICHOLS

The Anniston Star

ANNISTON - Casandra Richey had been in trouble and was headed for more when she decided to attend the National Guard Youth Challenge Academy.

“If I had not joined this academy, I would have ended up in jail again or on drugs again,” said the 16-year-old from Florence.

Instead, Richey will graduate from the academy today with her GED and a plan to join the Army when she turns 17.

Richey is among 39 teens graduating from the academy. Hers is the third class for the Alabama program, located at the National Guard’s training facility at McClellan.

It will also be the last. The state opted not to fund its portion of the program for 2009.

The academy is designed for high school dropouts ages 16-18. Students without jobs who are drug-free and have no pending legal action were eligible for the program. Participants in the five-month class lived in a military environment while the program encouraged teamwork and personal growth.

The federal government funds 60 percent of the school’s budget, which comes to about $1.6 million, said the director, Scott Martin.

He said Alabama’s share would have been about $1 million.

Sen. Del Marsh, R-Anniston, said it was unfortunate the state could not keep the program going. But he said state officials are looking at similar programs to determine which ones are helping the largest number of people. He said they could not all be funded.

“We have hopes that maybe next year we could secure some dollars for this program,” Marsh said. “It’s a very good program, and I hate to see it go.”

Efforts to reach a spokesman from Gov. Bob Riley’s office were unsuccessful.

Martin said he had been fighting for funding since he was named director in April.

“Even today, I’m still getting phone calls from parents who want to send their kids here,” he said. “One mom called me literally crying when she got the letter that we were closing and this was our last class.”

Twenty-six other states across the nation have National Guard Youth Challenge programs.

Submitted from our Alabama Advocate.  Thank You!