CONTACT: Sean Ryan
804-788-1414

Apr 5, 2006

Back to News

TROUBLED TEENS GET MILITARY WAKE-UP CALL AT VIRGINIA BASES
By Michael Felberbaum, Associated Press

Four days before arriving at Fort A.P. Hill, Wyatt Ernsting was at home, playing video games, fighting with his parents and struggling with homework - a kind of life that couldn't be cured by medicine or turning off the TV.

With a group of similar teens, Ernsting took on a challenge to put himself back on the right track. The 17-year-old from Gloucester is among 175 at-risk teenagers who enrolled this year in the Virginia Commonwealth ChalleNGe, which uses military-style training to teach teens how to lead more productive lives.

Virginia is one of 26 states that participates in the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program, which is funded with federal and state money at no cost to the teens' families.

Read this Story