CONTACT: Melanie Pipkin
202-414-0778

Apr 28, 2006

Back to News

NEW PROGRAM GIVES CADETS A RUGGED EXPERIENCE

Set on Camp Guernsey's 39,891 acres of rolling hills, buffalo grass, sagebrush and scattered trees, the Wyoming Youth ChalleNGe Program stands as the newest addition to the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program. While many of the nation's programs have been in operation for more than a decade, WYCP is the new kid on the block in one of the country's most rugged locations.

Now more than halfway through the program, WYCA opened its doors on January 23 after the Wyoming Legislature approved $1.1 million to start the program with the federal government pitching in the additional $1.7 million.

Now the 30th program site in the U.S., WYCP was desperately needed in Wyoming. More than 20 percent of students statewide failed to graduate in the 2003-2004 school year and certain minority groups suffer a close to 50 percent dropout rate. According to program director Lt. Col. Shawn Powell, the program has been well-received by both state residents and legislators.

WYCP created a statewide awareness campaign that brought in teens from 20 different communities statewide to comprise the first class and 24 teens remain. The program would like to one day graduate 100 cadets each class, but for now it is enjoying the advantages of its small size. Cadets get personal attention on a daily basis and have the opportunity to have hands-on experiences in non-traditional school subjects such as archeology. Camp Guernsey allows cadets to explore an ideal archeological playground on the Oregon Trail close to the Spanish diggings.

Lt. Col. Powell attributes much of WYCP's success to its adjunct general, Maj. Gen. Edward L. Wright.

"If it weren't for his leadership, we wouldn't be here," he said. Lt. Col. Powell also expressed how helpful other program sites were during WYCA's initial planning stages. He and his staff visited the Montana, Oregon, Arizona, New Mexico and Wisconsin programs.

All WYCP cadets will attend the ChalleNGe Invitational this June in Washington and this first class will graduate on June 23, 2006.