Program

Purpose

The National Guard Youth Challenge Program (NGYCP) was established by the National Guard in 1993 to turn around the lives of young men and women between the ages of 15½ and 18 who are experiencing difficulty in completing traditional high school. This is a program that is tuition-free and open to permanent legal residents in each of the participating states/territories (see location map).

NGYCP currently operates 45 programs in 27 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. The National Guard Youth Challenge Program is a voluntary 17-month dropout recovery program that helps at-risk youths earn their high school diploma or GED. Some states offer credit recovery which allows youth the opportunity to return to high school upon successful completion of Youth Challenge. We do so in a very disciplined and structured program that uses the military model. Challenge works with program participants after graduation to help enroll in college, trade school, start a career, or join the military. More than 215,000 students have graduated to date, changing the path for their lives

By intervening in the lives of troubled adolescents, Challenge is making a difference. It is the only program of its kind providing graduates with personal mentorship for one year to help the transition into adulthood.

Challenge empowers participants to embrace responsibility, achievement, and positive behavior. It instills self-confidence, fosters ambition, and increases opportunities through job skills training, service to the community, and leadership. A multi-year study by the Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation (MDRC) a nonprofit, nonpartisan education and social policy research organization, found the program participants achieve impressive results in educational attainment and employability. Key findings of that study include: GED or high school diploma attainment increased by 29%; college attendance increased by 86%; annual earnings increased by 20%.

According to RAND Corporation cost-benefit analysis, every dollar expended on Challenge yields $2.66 in benefits – a return on investment of 166%. This return is substantially higher than other rigorously evaluated social programs that target disadvantaged youth. Youth Challenge is unmatched in its effectiveness in helping youth prepare for the future.