The Wisconsin Challenge Academy
Fort McCoy, Wisconsin
A Choice…
A Challenge…
A Change
The Wisconsin Challenge Academy is a residential program established in 1998
to intervene in the lives of youth at risk of not graduating from high school. The
program is for highly motivated youth, committed to turning their lives around.
Our quasi-military residential program offers cadets the opportunity to earn the
High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED), replace negative habits with positive
behaviors, and develop the life skills necessary to be successful, responsible
citizens. Nationally, the Challenge Program is currently funded in 28 states and
Puerto Rico. Program costs are shared by the federal and state governments.
The Wisconsin Challenge Academy
NO COST to the families!
The Wisconsin Challenge Academy Program has two phases:
Phase I: A 22 week residential phase at Fort McCoy in a quasi-military
environment. Cadets attend classes, taught by DPI licensed teachers, preparing to
earn the HSED. Other classes include character development, leadership and
followership, anger and stress management. Activities include rappelling, ropes
courses, service to community projects, experiential learning activities and
leadership experiences. There are two residential phases per year beginning in
January and July.
Phase II: A 12 month post-residential mentoring phase. Cadets are
matched with mentors, from their community during the residential phase and
have the opportunity to develop a strong relationship. Mentors are role models
who support and encourage cadets, especially during the post-residential phase,
to accomplish their goals and become contributing citizens.
Entrance Criteria

Males and females

16 years and 9 months - Not yet 19 years
old

Expelled, dropped out, not attending, or
over one year behind in credits
 Not currently on parole or adult probation
(juvenile supervision/probation is OK)

Never charged, indicted, or convicted of a
felony (as a juvenile or an adult)

A citizen or legal resident of the United
States and resident of Wisconsin

Voluntary—no court orders or placements
Our Mission:
To offer our Cadets the opportunity to develop the strength of character
and the life-skills necessary to become successful, responsible citizens.
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Why Would You Want To Attend?
Cadets attend the Challenge
Academy for a variety of reasons.
Most cadets would like to earn
their HSED, work on self
discipline, or search for positive
opportunities for their futures. The
reason must be the cadet’s own.
The Challenge Academy is a
volunteer program. The candidates
must be willing to come to the
Challenge Academy. They cannot
be sent or ordered to attend. The
quasi-military
environment
provides structure, discipline, and
encourages team work and
physical activity.
“Before the CA, I was the kid with no
future-now I have a future in the
making. In the first two weeks you
might not think it’s worth it, but by week
7, you know it’s worth it. Change is
good, but the courage to change is
better.”
Cadet Hrdlicka Class 25
Cadets experience new levels of
physical activity and a range of
emotions. Character Development
contributes to personal growth and
academics opens new paths to
future possibilities.
Cadets will focus on eight core
components during the residential
phase of the program:
“Before CA I never went to school and
filled my day with drugs and weed. I was
destined to become a statistic. Now I
have my HSED, I am back at school
getting my High School Diploma and my
life and future are looking great.”
Cadet Hribal Class 27
 Job Skills
Cadets will learn and live by the
standards of the five Challenge
Academy values:
 Physical Fitness
 Discipline
 Leadership/Followership
 Integrity
 Health, Hygiene, and Nutrition
 Courage
 Life-Coping Skills
 Honor
 Responsible Citizenship/
 Commitment
 Academic Excellence
Character Development
 Service to Community
Quasi-Military Environment
Discipline, order, and respect are
central elements of the Wisconsin
Challenge Academy program. To
succeed here, cadets have to
unlearn many things that caused
problems in the past. The
experienced Cadre staff will teach
Academics
cadets new and better behaviors.
This environment is meant to
challenge the cadets physically,
mentally, and emotionally and will
provide cadets with a new, more
positive direction in their lives. The
cadet motto is “the courage to
change.”
The Wisconsin Challenge Academy
is committed to helping teens at risk
of not graduating from high school
earn the High School Equivalency
Diploma. Over 2,500 cadets have
graduated from the Challenge
Academy. Program measures of
success include: 86.8% of graduates
“I consider myself a fairly smart
person, not because of my education,
but because of what I've learned of
my experience as a cadet, and from
the opportunities Challenge opened
up for me, like AmeriCorps for
example.”
Senior Cadet Fedie, Class 27
earned the HSED issued by the State
Superintendent; graduates increased
academic achievement by 1.4 grades
on average as measured by the Tests
of Adult Basic Education (TABE);
70% of graduates are placed in the
military, higher education, employment or a combination.
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Mentor Component Concept
The primary goal of the mentoring
component is to assess and match
each cadet with an unrelated adult
in the community in an effort to
develop a sustained relationship.
The cadet and family are asked to
nominate a volunteer from their
community to be the cadet’s
mentor. This adult acts as a friend,
companion, supporter, and role
model to the cadet while engaging
in activities of mutual interest.
The mentor reinforces the new
skills of the cadets and acts as a
catalyst to personal growth and
achievement. Mentors are asked
to help guide and counsel the
Mentor Qualifications
 Same gender as the applicant
 At least 23 years of age
 Not an immediate family
member or relative
 Not someone living in the same
household
cadet as he or she begins the
transition to employment, higher
education, vocational training,
military or completing the high
school diploma. Mentoring is an
act of community building.
Mentors are entrusted with
molding a young person into a
contributing
and
productive
member of society. Mentoring is
the process of sharing personal
knowledge, experience and skills
with a less experienced youth. It is
a big but rewarding commitment.
Mentors will visit their cadets
approximately three timers (all
day Saturday or Sunday) while the
cadets are in residence at Fort
McCoy.
During
the
PostResidential Phase, mentors must
have a minimum of 4 hours of
contact per month with his or her
cadet. Mentors are required to
submit monthly reports to the
Challenge Academy, providing
information on the progress of
cadets on the Post-Residential
Action Plans (P-RAP). Mentors
and cadets are required to do one
service
to
community
project each
quarter of the
PostResidential
Phase.
 Someone who will provide
support, friendship, counsel, and
reinforcement
 Someone who cares, is a good
listener, and helps young people
bring out their strengths
 Must pass a background check
 Not a military recruiter
 Must live within an hour of the
applicant
 Must be responsible and
dedicated
 Must be willing to visit cadet at
How to find a Mentor
Fort McCoy at least twice during
the residential phase
Mentors include teachers, counselors,
factory workers, ministers, police officers,
judges, social workers, little league
coaches, people retired from careers,
neighbors and others. To find a mentor, try
brainstorming. Who are the friends of your
family? Who are the co-workers or former
employers of your parents? Are there
members of your church you can ask?
Who is on your holiday card list? Are there
"I was BLOWN AWAY by her
presentation at the HS. She was
extremely confident, clear, and
articulate...She thanked her teachers
in front of the other students and told
the students that they needed to
demonstrate more appreciation and
respect for the teachers as they are
the ones who really believe in you.”
Class 26 Mentor
civic or community organization leaders
you can ask? If you are still struggling visit
the challengeacademy.org website and
click on “Bulletin Board” located on the
right hand side. This is where you can post
that you are currently looking for a mentor
(use mentor qualifications above). Past
mentors, cadets, and parents of graduates
may respond.
3
Character Development
The goal of the Character Development curriculum is to instill in cadets positive values to use in everyday
life. The values have a positive effect on beliefs, thought patterns, choices, behaviors, and consequences
that determine futures. The core of the curriculum is taught through formal classroom instruction as part of
the daily academic schedule. It begins with basic concepts of character and making positive life changes,
then addresses personal issues and life coping skills. Methods of instruction include discussion, videos,
in-class assignments and activities, projects, internet research, weekly quotes with themes, role-playing, and
Saturday night movies with a character based theme. The curriculum is reinforced through experiential
events such as rappelling, land navigation, service to community, academics and the routine tasks cadets
complete daily. All staff, from cadre to teachers to administrative staff are involved in teaching and
reinforcing the Character Development lessons through daily interactions with cadets. To support an
Academy-wide approach to teaching Character Development, a common language is used through the
curriculum and program. This language includes definitions for character concepts and a continuous focus
on choosing the “harder right over the easier wrong.”
Where to Find Wisconsin Challenge Academy:
Wisconsin Challenge Academy Website:
www.challengeacademy.org
Facebook Page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/WI-National-Guard-ChallengeAcademy/115254023115
YouTube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/WIChallengeAcademy
Admissions Department Email:
caadmissions@wisconsin.gov
Follow us on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/wichallacademy
749 East 12th Avenue
Ft. McCoy, WI 54656
Toll Free: 866-968-8422
Phone: 608-269-4605
Fax: 608-269-9001
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