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The National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program (ChalleNGe) program was authorized by Congress in section 1091 of the
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1993
(P.L. 102-484). The program is sponsored and managed by the National Guard Bureau through agreements with State
Governors and Adjutants General (the local senior member of the National Guard) of the requesting states. ChalleNGe aims to provide dropout youth with values, life skills, education and self-discipline. It is composed of a five-month quasi-military residential phase, followed by a communitybased mentoring phase extending for one year. The ultimate goal of ChalleNGe is to place all participants (called cadets) who graduate from the first phase of ChalleNGe into jobs, military service and/or postsecondary education programs.
ChalleNGe serves high school dropouts ages 16 to 18 .
Eligible candidates must be unemployed at the time of application, not currently involved with the criminal justice system and drug free. Researchers analyzed data on 4,159 youth who enrolled in ChalleNGe during
Fiscal Year 1998. Of these, 3,230 graduated from
ChalleNGe (78 percent graduation rate). Eighty-one percent of the participants were male, although participation of females is increasing in a few states.
Nearly 49 percent were white, 37.5 percent African
American, 7.5 percent Hispanic, 4.5 percent Asian and
1.5 percent Native American. Participants’ ethnicity was proportionate to that of respective states. Sixtyseven percent of participants admitted past involvement in the legal system.
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For the class year October 1997 through September 1998, an analysis of ChalleNGe participants at the end of their fivemonth residential phase reported:
M
24 percent were employed
M an average 78 hours of community service per cadet
(ChalleNGe requires 40 hours of community service per participant)
M an average increase of 1.1 grade level in reading and 1.7
in math, as measured by The Adult Basic Education
Test (TABE)
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72 percent of the graduates had received their GED
M the retention rate was 90 percent, higher than the national high school retention rate of 89 percent
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23 percent were in postsecondary education
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10 percent had enlisted in the military
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7 percent were going to vocational-technical schools
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6 percent were returning to high school
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4 percent were still unsure about their goals
M only six graduates (less than one percent) had gotten into trouble with the justice system and were incarcerated
Upon completion of the residential phase, of the 3,230 graduates in 1998:
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26 percent were awaiting notification of acceptance from colleges, employers or the military
During Fiscal Year 1998, the annual cost per ChalleNGe participant was $13,464 (costs were based on actual number of graduates). These costs compare favorably with costs of correctional systems, where so many high school dropouts end up. The Corrections Yearbook, 1994, indicates an average cost of $25,514 for Adult Corrections and $42,943 for Juvenile Corrections.
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Prospective cadets participate in a two-week Pre-ChalleNGe trial. This period is used to select the applicants who are motivated to complete the program and ensure that all applicants are drug-free, as required. Approximately 70 percent of the Pre-ChalleNGe participants are subsequently enrolled in ChalleNGe programs. Each site intentionally over-enrolls students in Pre-ChalleNGe and ChalleNGe in order to meet graduation goals based on the percentage of dropouts in the state.
military service. Teachers, counselors and medical personnel all meet state standards for these positions.
ChalleNGe cadets are organized in teams, squads and platoons. Using a military structure, cadets are assigned leadership responsibilities for a group for a number of days and are held responsible for the accomplishment of assigned group tasks.
ChalleNGe cadets participate in a five-month residential phase that includes: academic and vocational education, leadership development, training in the core component areas and development of a life plan. The eight core components focus on the growth of participant youth as individuals and citizens: leadership/followership, community service, job skills, academic excellence, responsible citizenship, life coping skills, health and nutrition and physical fitness.
ChalleNGe teachers are not necessarily affiliated with the
National Guard, but many have National Guard or other military ties. For example, many instructors are retired from
Following graduation from the residential phase, cadets enter a 12-month community-based phase in which they are assisted by a mentor as they enter the workforce or continue their schooling. A program coordinator maintains regular contact with the cadet and the mentor throughout this stage.
ChalleNGe uses government-owned facilities and equipment, ranging from National Guard training centers to refurbished middle schools. The National Guard Bureau provides the administrative and management infrastructure at the national level. The Adjutant General provides management and oversight functions in the respective state.
Ongoing Program Monitoring
Program sites maintain on-going communication and evaluation using the ChalleNGe Monitoring and Evaluation
Information System (CHAMEIS). This system is designed to validate and document program performance at both the national and local levels, improving data accuracy and timing of the reports.
In addition, both the mentor and the cadet are in regular contact with a program staff person.
Holistic Approach
ChalleNGe focuses on the individual youth and provides a diversified set of skills and information, including academic, vocational, life skills, leadership development and others.
Participants are involved in community service.
Ongoing Performance Evaluation
A cadet survey, administered during the first three weeks of the residential phase and again just before graduation, provides diagnostic information about the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of participants in relation to the core components. The instrument has been validated for the age and reading level of participants. In addition, the cadets must complete a Job Book that functions like a portfolio, registering the cadets’ accomplishments and progress toward their goals. The book is reviewed by staff at least twice before the end of the residential phase .
Long-Term Follow-up
After the five-month residential phase, each participant is linked to a mentor who will follow him/her for another year.
Cost Effectiveness
The use of existing government facilities and equipment and of the National Guard infrastructure for administration and management eliminate the need to build facilities, invest in equipment and create an additional management bureaucracy. These savings help keep program costs down.
Structure and Discipline
The quasi-military structure of ChalleNGe, including wearing uniforms, marching and adhering to military courtesies, appear to have a positive effect on youth participants when combined with the program’s holistic and caring approach.
The program is intentionally not run like a boot camp, according to Social Consultants International.
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Researchers used data electronically transmitted weekly by the ChalleNGe director in each state. In addition, they reviewed weekly and monthly descriptive reports that focus on program implementation. Using a Formative
Evaluation technique, researchers analyzed the data and provided immediate feedback that was used to improve
ChalleNGe. The data was tested to ensure that all assumptions of the parametric tests were met.
The National Guard Bureau.
The program is offered in 27 sites including AK, AR, AZ,
CA, CO, GA, HI, IL, LA, MA, MI, MD, MO, MS, MT, NC,
NJ, NY, OK, OR, PR, SC, TX, VA, WI, WV.
Research Contact
Patricia Antosh
Program Manager
Social Consultants International, Inc.
1925 North Lynn Street, Suite 304
Arlington, VA 22209
(703) 527-9801, Fax (703) 528-5420 patantosh@socialco.com
www.socialco.com
Implementing Contact
Joe Padilla
Chief, Youth Programs Branch
National Guard Bureau
Suite 11200
1411 Jefferson Davis Highway
Arlington, VA 22302-3259
(703) 607-2664, Fax (703) 607-1744 padillaj@ngb.ang.af.mil
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American Youth Policy Forum