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Eligibility Requirements

  • Legal U.S. citizen, South Carolina resident, or lawful permanent resident
  • 16-18 years old on Day 1 of the Residential Phase
  • Upon approval of the SCYCA Director, 15 year olds may enter the program if they turn 16 before graduation, but such applicants must be enrolled in a high school credit recovery track to allow for their eventual return to high school.
  • High school dropout, potential dropout, or has been expelled (School withdrawal form documentation required prior to enrollment)
  • Willing to be free from the illegal use of drugs or substances, alcohol, and tobacco products during the program. (students are tested throughout the cycle).
  • Not currently:
    • On parole or probation for other than juvenile status offenses
    • Awaiting sentencing, not under indictment or charges
    • Convicted of a crime that is considered a felony if charged as an adult
  • Must be physically and mentally capable of completing the program. Pregnancy testing shall not be used as a part of the screening and selection process for program participation

Note: All applicants who meet the basic guidelines for enrollment are considered.

Phases

Acclimation

The two-week Acclimation Period precedes the Residential Phase and orients Candidates to the ChalleNGe program environment by allowing them to adjust to the physical, mental and social discipline required to successfully complete the program. The focus is on teamwork, close quarter drill, code of conduct, leadership and followership, and physical fitness training. Candidates relinquish personal items, receive haircuts, and exchange their street clothes for uniforms, placing them all on a level playing field. During the Acclimation Period, staff members continually assess each Candidate’s potential for success in the Residential Phase. Candidates learn to replace negative behaviors, attitudes, and skills and are introduced to daily experiences of healthy routines and a structured and disciplined environment.

Residential

At the end of the Acclimation Period motivated Candidates are selected to enroll in ChalleNGe and become cadets. Historically, the majority of the selected cadets will go on to successfully complete the Residential Phase. During the next five-months of the Residential Phase, cadets are fully immersed in a military-type training environment, which emphasizes discipline, consistency, and structure. During the Residential Phase, cadets experience a schedule that focuses on developing their social, emotional, academic, and basic life skills. This is accomplished through the implementation of the Eight Core Components, the foundation of the ChalleNGe program intervention model. Cadets complete the Residential Phase with the skills and values necessary for their successful transition and integration into adult society. Mentors, who have been nominated by the cadets, are matched with cadets midway through the Residential Phase. The mentors help support the cadets during the remainder of the Residential Phase and help them prepare to reenter community life. Mentors continue their responsibilities throughout the 12-month Post-Residential Phase.

Post-Residential

The 12-month Post-Residential Phase begins when graduates leave the ChalleNGe Academy and return to their communities. Graduates return to high school, pursue higher education, find a job, join the military, or volunteer at least 30 hours a week as a “placement”. The goal of this Phase is for graduates to sustain and build on the gains made during the Residential Phase, and to apply the new skills they have learned to their home environment. In addition, they must continue to develop and implement their life plans. The mentors, matched with cadets during the Residential Phase, play a critical role in ensuring their continued success. They help youth transition from the structured environment of the Residential Phase to self-management. The mentors also support and guide the cadets through implementation of their Life Plans.

8 Core Components

Job Skills

Cadets will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the career exploration process; proving their ability to pair their own education, skills, and interests to a selected career path plan/option, by building upon their initial Post- Residential Action Plan (P-RAP). In the process, cadets will: participate in the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test, complete professional documents (resume), job application, and mock interviews. In addition, successfully complete job search skills and work ethics skills exams, and demonstrate knowledge and skills on educational opportunities.

Responsible Citizenship

The Responsible Citizenship course will teach cadets about the structure of the U.S. Government by exploring the processes of U.S. Government to include: the individual rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizens at the local, State, and national levels. Eligible cadets will register to vote and register for selective service.

Health and Hygiene

The goal of personal hygiene and healthy sexual practices is to keep your body healthy and the space you live and work clean and germ-free while reducing the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases (STD). Good hygiene will prevent spreading germs to other people and prevent illness. Practicing proper hygiene will keep your body healthy while giving you confidence. STD prevention can be promoted through health education, and involves practices such as safer sex behavior, including the use of condoms, and abstinence from sex.

Service to Community

Cadets will be able to describe the importance and value of service to the community and demonstrate that value by completing a minimum of forty (40) hours of volunteerism, including both Service to the Community and Conservation Projects, as a group and/or on an individual basis.

Leadership/Followership

Identification and application of individual moral and ethical standards focus on the various roles and responsibilities as the cadets live and learn in a structured environment. This is evaluated through compliance with rules and procedures, performing military customs, courtesies, and marching, defining and employing leadership skills, maintaining the living areas, and employing followership skills in team settings.

Life Coping Skills

Cadets will demonstrate increased self-awareness, self- discipline and independent living skills gained through a combination of activities and a structured living environment. Through group discussions, each cadet will have an improved understanding of independent goal setting and managing personal finances. Cadets will learn to implement coping mechanisms and strategies for dealing with conflicts, emotions and related stressors (i.e. anger, grief, anxiety, frustration, etc.) through group discussions, in the classroom environment and other related activities.

Physical Fitness

The physical fitness program is based on The President’s ChalleNGe, a physical fitness testing program of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. The Physical Fitness test will be conducted throughout the Residential Phase. Enough time will be allowed for the processing and presentation of the respective physical fitness awards while the cadets are still enrolled in the Residential Phase. Cadets must be physically cleared by medical personnel prior to participating in physical fitness training. Once cleared, cadets will participate in the daily physical fitness regimen which includes an introduction to the required components and standards of the SCYCA Physical Fitness Program.

Academic Excellence

The Academic Core Component requires all cadets to attend academic classes preparing them for testing for the General Education Development (GED) Diploma. Evaluation of the cadets’ progress is measured using the complete battery of Tests of Adult Basic Education (TABE) scale scores. All cadets are required to either increase their TABE score, obtain GED/HS Equivalency test, or obtain High School Diploma.