About Us

Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to share more about BBYCA and the dedicated people who make it an excellent educational opportunity for your son or daughter. Please browse these pages to learn more.

Soldiers lined up

History & Mission

The National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program is making a difference! The program was established in 1993 and currently operates 35+ programs in 28 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. Since its beginning, more than 174,000 students have graduated.

Our Mission

The National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program, a preventive rather than remedial “youth at risk” program, targets unemployed, drug-free, high school dropouts, 16–18 years of age. Core components of the program are citizenship, academic excellence (GED/high school diploma), life-coping skills, service to community, health and hygiene, job skills training, leadership/followership, and physical training.

Award-Winning & Community-Based

This award-winning program has been recognized as one of the nation’s most effective and cost-efficient programs for targeting youth who are at the greatest risk for substance abuse, teen pregnancy, delinquency, and criminal activity.

Participating States and U.S. Territories

Alaska

Arkansas

California

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maryland

Michigan

Mississippi

Montana

Nevada

New Jersey

New Mexico

North Carolina

Oklahoma

Oregon

Puerto Rico

South Carolina

Tennessee

Texas

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Program Goal

Reclaiming the lives of at-risk youth, producing program graduates with the values, life skills, education, and self-discipline to succeed as productive citizens.

Photo of campus

School Performance Plan

School Performance Plans (SPPs) are a component of a larger Continuous Improvement Process (CIP) that schools engage in throughout the school year.

SPPs contain detailed information about practices and strategies being implemented at each school in Elko County School District. Each plan identifies goals and action steps designed to improve learning for all students.

Plant growing with hands cupping it

Why Choose Us?

Life can be hard, and sometimes we need something to intervene to help change the course. More than 145,000 students have graduated from the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program. That’s why we believe BBYCA may be the answer to your current struggles.

For Parents

You may feel hopeless about your child’s future but don’t know if there is anything available that will actually make a difference. That’s where Battle Born Youth ChalleNGe Academy comes in. Our program leads, trains, and mentors high school drop-outs through unique, military-inspired youth development methods that instill necessary skills and values to help them become productive citizens.

For Youth

You probably know you’re not on the right path but don’t know how to turn it around. The BBYCA experience teaches solid life skills, reinforcing them step by step with ongoing mentorship support. By graduation, you’re ready to be and do everything you were meant to be and do.

Impressive Statistics

Youth ChalleNGe is unmatched in its effectiveness in helping youth prepare for the future. ChalleNGe fosters ambition, instills self-confidence, and increases opportunities through service to the community, job skills training, and leadership. It empowers participants to embrace achievement, responsibility, and positive behavior.

A multi-year study by MDRC (Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation) found that program participants achieve impressive results in employability and educational attainment. Key findings of that study include the following statistics:

  • GED or high school diploma attainment increased by 29%.

  • College attendance increased by 86%.

  • Annual earnings increased by 20%.

Helping Youth Prepare for the Future

Youth ChalleNGe is unmatched in its effectiveness in helping youth prepare for the future. According to RAND Corporation’s 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.

Students sitting down