ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. -- The cadets who entered Freestate Challenge Academy in January faced tremendous obstacles in life. However, the 116 graduates of the academy’s 36th class achieved the first step toward success during a June 11 ceremony.
Maj. Gen. Nick Justice, senior APG commander, told the students to embrace the positive changes they have made during the 22-week military-oriented residential program.
"You are prepared and ready. You learned to do hard work," Justice said during his keynote address. "You have learned to surround yourself with people who care about you. You make sure you are flanked by people who want you to succeed. You secure that flank from people who want you to fail."
About 700 family members, friends, academy staff and military leaders packed the APG Post Theater to mark the milestone in the cadets' lives.
Academy Director Col. Richard E. "Thunder" Young recognized his staff's hard work and commitment to improving the cadets’ futures.
"Our program staff has intervened in the lives of the cadets and produced within them the values, skills, education and self-discipline necessary to succeed as adults," Young said.
Justice encouraged the cadets to look out for each other during turbulent times and said they can attain a fulfilling life through teamwork.
"What are the lessons you should take away from here? You are a member of a team. You support each other. You help each other," Justice said. "A team doesn’t let somebody fall behind. You pick each other up. The greatest lesson you can learn is teamwork."
Maj. Gen. Errol R. Schwartz, District of Columbia National Guard commanding general, asked the audience to remain supportive as the cadets enter the next phase of life.
"After you leave today, the journey is not over. I encourage the mentors, parents and everyone else to stand behind these young folks graduating today," Schwartz said. "Make sure you keep moving them forward."
The academy is a 17-month intervention program for at-risk Maryland high-school dropouts, ages 16 to 18. Following graduation, the cadets are mentored for a year and will begin a job, continue their education or enter the military.
The Maryland National Guard established the program in 1993 and has graduated 3,043 students. Sixty percent of graduates have earned a Maryland high school diploma.
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