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Wyoming Cowboy ChalleNGe
Academy (WCCA)
Partnering with WASSP
to meet
Wyoming Youth Needs
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7% Solution
7% of Students
take up most of a
Principal’s Time
with students
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7% Solution

Enjoyable students are involved in

Honors

Leadership

Activities
 These
youth make life worth living
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7% Solution
 NOT
enjoyable students, at risk students,
students with problems
 Disruption








Disrespect
Causing trouble
Disciplinary problems
At risk of dropping out
Dropped out – but the nightmare continues
Lack of Self-Respect
Lack of Confidence
Lack of Teamwork
I know your pain
 Wyoming Cowboy ChalleNGe Academy
(WCCA) can be a solution to dealing with
that part of the 7% that are not enjoyable

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7% Solution
 Reduce
problem caseload during
5 ½ to 17 ½ months
 WCCA
can be an ally to help with those
students who are not enjoyable, taking up
the principal’s time and staff time
 Reduce from the high school caseload
students who dropped out, or are at risk
of dropping out, perceiving themselves as
“not fitting in” high school, bored, and are
causing problems
 WCCA: “A staff dream come true” option
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Benefits to the
Educational System

No Cost to District for students to be at WCCA

Possibly Keep Student Count Budget Funding
- WCCA can participate in some concurrent
registration offerings as an In- District Registration
with the WCCA as a satellite campus for your high
school student
- WCCA starts Quarterly which leaves more
opportunities for budgetary attendance dates of
local schools
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Benefits to the
Educational System continued
 Graduation

Counts
WCCA offers Credit Recovery towards finishing
high school and graduating by using
- APEX
- Wyoming Virtual Academy K-12

WCCA may cooperate with high school on-line
programs that are compatible with WCCA
resources
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Benefits to the
Educational System continued
 Graduation

Counts continued
Wyoming State Department of Education does
allow a WCCA graduate with a high
school equivalency certificate (HSEC)
through WCCA to return to any Wyoming
public high school, with a principal permission
letter to the WY Dept. of Ed. for the student to be
on campus
- When the student meets the High School Diploma
graduation requirements, the principal notifies the
WY Dept. of Ed., then the HSEC is relinquished
and replaced with the high school Diploma

Win - Win for the student and for the District
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Benefits to the
Educational System continued
 Rescuing


Dropouts
After a Student Drops Out of high school,
WCCA staff can talk to or visit Students and
Parents about WCCA as an option for the
Student to turn things around
Rescuing those at-risk of dropping out

Bottom 3 to 5% in class standing
1 semester or more behind in credits and/or
unwilling or uncommitted to summer school
 Over 1 year behind in credits

- Once a student’s cohort class graduates, the
likelihood of graduating with the following class
diminishes
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Benefits to the
Educational System continued

Youth may return to high school with
New Behaviors

AWAY from Negative Influence Peers and/or Family

lived in Military Facility Security

5 ½ Months of Sobriety
- Alcohol-free environment
- Controlled Substance-free environment
- Surprise Drug Testing

24/7 Awake Supervision

Detailed, Structured Day
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Benefits to the
Educational System continued
 Improved
Returning High School Student
Consequences oriented
 Team oriented

- Trained & Experienced in Followership /
Leadership
- Less trust issues
- Better sense of belonging
- “Ride for the Brand” ethic
Physically more Fit and Strong
 Learned how to Give Respect
 Earned Respect
 Record of Success in Academics
 Course Credit Recovery

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What is the WCCA?
The Wyoming Cowboy ChalleNGe Academy
is a State of Wyoming safe, disciplined, and
professional learning environment that
empowers high school drop outs and at-risk
youth, ages 16 through 18, as of first day of
school, for 22 weeks on the Camp Guernsey
National Guard base, followed by 12 months
of mentoring
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What is the WCCA?
continued
Objective:
Produce graduates with:
• Self-discipline,
• Values,
• Life skills,
• Education, and
• Employment potential to be responsible
and productive Wyoming citizens
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What is the WCCA?
 Why
continued
the ChalleNGe spelling?
 It
is in reference to the National Guard as a
logo requirement from the National Guard
Bureau.
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What the Program is not…
 Military

Boot Camp/Basic Training
WCCA regulations even discourage pushing
students into the military
 Traditional
or Alternative High School
 Drug
or Alcohol Abuse/Dependence
Treatment Facility
 Mental
Health Clinic
 Cowboy
/ Ranch Hand Training Program
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But, it is Not
All Work
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Benefits to the Youth

Start a Proactive, Responsible Adult Future









Stop the drifting, blaming, idleness, lack of plans
Stop causing trouble at their high school
Move on from the Negative Influence Peers / Family
ChalleNGe program national average Results*
- 47% join workforce in Career Jobs
- 34% continue with Higher Education
- 14% join Military Service
- 5% do end up as: other, deceased, or incarcerated
Placement Assistance
Mentoring may help in job / education networking
Learned to Respect
Earned Respect
Become a Hero to Peers / Family
* MDRC and RAND Corp national studies
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Benefits to the Youth
 20%
continued
Higher Income
 according to RAND Corp 2012 analysis
 Education
Back on Track
Course Credit Recovery
 Complete graduation requirements and earn
diploma from home high school
 Earn HSEC

Attend a College Course on the
Eastern Wyoming College campus



Scholarships
Avoid Justice System Consequences
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Benefits to the Youth

continued
Military

WCCA graduates may receive an automatic
promotion, pay grade, and rank in any military
service branch

future military service training feels easier

WCCA counts as the first year of college ROTC

test drive of a military life style for those youth
interested in a military career, without an
obligation of 4 to 6 years
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Benefits to the Family

Change the Life of the Youth

Nearly FREE of cost to Family


NO Tuition, Food, or Housing Cost
Only Family Costs are:
Transportation to / from Camp Guernsey
 Short list of initial clothing and toiletries

- WCCA helps with supplies, if family is destitute

Drama is removed from the home
Away from Negative Peer Influence
 Breather time for family


A Safe Place for the Youth to be at
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Program Design
 Preventive,

Quasi-military atmosphere
Uniforms, Haircuts, Fitness, Rules,
Discipline, and Consequences
 Target
youth: age 16 through 18 high
school drop outs or at-risk, non-addicted,
non-felon
 Minimal distractions
 5 ½ months Residential Phase
 12 months Post-Residential Mentoring
Phase
Total Duration: 17 ½ months
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Academics

400 hours of instructional seat time

270 hours in (67.5 hours each)

120 hours in (30 hours each)
- Math
- English
- Science
- Social Studies
- Physical Education
- Health and Hygiene
- Life Coping Skills
- Job Skills
6 hours US Government
 4 hours motivational Guest Speakers

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Academics

continued
Eastern Wyoming College

As of the December 2014 graduating class,
WCCA students attend a college level course at
Eastern Wyoming College, on their campus
- Registration and tuition is paid by WCCA
- Students are offered a choice of college courses
- 100% of the December 2014 WCCA graduating
students earned college credit
Students who formerly were high school drop
outs, or at risk of dropping out, Overcame
Their Fears that they would never be able to
attend or be successful at college
 Some students were the first of their families to
attend college

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Class Start/Grad Dates
Class #
Start
Grad
25
12 Apr 2015
12 Sep 2015
26
12 Jul 2015
12 Dec 2105
27
11 Oct 2015
12 Mar 2016
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Mentorship is Key to
Long-Term Success

Graduates work with a Volunteer Mentor for 12
months to achieve their personal post-residential
goals

Candidly, the weakest link in the program is when
the mentor is not a stronger influence on the
graduate than the graduate’s peers of negative
influence; so
if you want to help,
recommend WCCA to youth, parents,
and strong mentors; or become a
mentor
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How to Help

Recommend WCCA as an Option
- Counselors consider WCCA for some students
- Mention WCCA to Youth
- Mention WCCA to Parents
- Mention WCCA to possible strong Mentors
- suggest www.wycowboychallenge.org
- have them call WCCA at 307-677-6136

When appropriate, Give WCCA staff contact
information
 Youth Name / Parent Name
- phone number
- address
- e-mail

Become a Mentor
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