Mentoring at Youth Challenge Academy at Milledgeville, Georgia

The Milledgeville Youth Challenge Academy is a program for at risk young people in Georgia. This 17-month program provides a foundation for students, 16-18 years old who desire the opportunity turn themselves into productive citizens. The program is supported through the National Guard both from the National and State levels and currently has 40 programs across the country. Georgia is one of only a handful of states with three such programs in operation.

Starting with a 22-week residential phase, the selected cadets learn and develop their academic abilities in order to earn academic credentials such as their High School Diploma through a partnership with Georgia's Graduation Achievement Charter High School. They can also earn their General Education Diploma(GED), or gain general high school academic credit as well. This all depends on their academic standing when they enter the program. Upon graduating from the residential phase, the cadets return to their communities under the guidance of a trained volunteer mentor who will assist the young person in continuing the success they gained in order to move forward in academic pursuits, career development or even military service.