The Idaho Youth Challenge Academy will conduct a commencement ceremony for 2024 graduates on Friday at 4 p.m. Mountain Time at Calvary Chapel in Boise.
One hundred twenty-four cadets will graduate from the 22-week program—the academy’s 21st class—bringing the total number of academy graduates to 2,199 since the program began in January 2014.
The Idaho Youth Challenge Academy is a volunteer program for at-risk 16-18-year-olds who are on the verge of dropping out of high school or already have.
Roughly 350 16-18-year-olds apply to attend each class, which the academy holds twice a year. Academy graduates have gone on to attend college, participate in Job Corps, complete vocational education, or join the U.S. Military, including one graduate who participated in the Presidential Inauguration Air Force Honor Guard.
The goal of the program is to give youth a second chance to become responsible and productive citizens by helping them improve their academic standing, life skills and employment potential. The program employs a highly structured format with an emphasis on student discipline and personal responsibility, and to provide a positive, safe and secure learning environment.
