ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. —Eighty cadets were officially accepted into the Maryland National Guard Freestate ChalleNGe Academy Class #57 during a crossover ceremony at the school’s campus on APG South (Edgewood), July 26.
APG senior leadership attended the ceremony including APG Senior Commander Maj. Gen. Mitchell Kilgo; Command Sgt. Maj. Kristie Brady of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command; APG Garrison Command Sgt. Maj. Ruth Drewitt and the Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army for Maryland and President of the Maryland National Guard Freestate ChallenNGe Academy Foundation, Mary Jane Jernigan.
Second chance
Maryland teens accepted into Freestate ChalleNGe Academy, or FCA, have withdrawn from traditional high school and are seeking a second chance at an education.
The students, who are referred to as “cadets” during the five-month residential phase, prepare for the GED and are taught eight core components in a highly structured, military-like setting. The components include academic excellence, leadership/followership, health and hygiene, service to the community, life coping skills, job skills, responsible citizenship and physical fitness. The cadets must pass each component to complete the program.
Opportunity to change
Kilgo congratulated and encouraged the new cadets to persevere. This is a unique opportunity, he said, and they will be tested while they are in the program. This challenge will make them stronger.
“All of you made the decision to change something in your life, which brought you here,” Kilgo said.
He challenged them to support each other throughout the program.
“There were people that helped me, lifted me up to get through the fight, whatever it was that I was doing,” he said. “So you all get to know one another, rely on one another and respect one another.”
Kilgo also told the cadets to respect the cadre.
“They are here to help you get better, that is what this is about,” he said.
Kilgo said the decisions they make during the program can impact the rest of their lives.
“This is your life, your crossroads, your opportunity, to change to get you to where you need to be,” he said. “And the sweat, tears and sacrifices you make here are going to dictate how the rest of your life is going to go. So buy into what is being taught here.”
After the event, APG senior leadership visited with six cadets in the school’s conference room.
“You might not understand this right now, but down the road when you are a little older, you will come to realize this was a huge decision and a very good decision,” he said. “They are going to teach you a lot and you are going to learn a lot about yourself.”
Demonstrating resilience
This is the first class to live on-post since the school was shut down in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. FCA Director KariLynn Dunmeyer said several new requirements and procedures have been established to ensure the safety of the cadets and staff members.
“These kids will have to be extremely resilient,” she said.
According to Dunmeyer, some of the current cadets interviewed for the program in February 2020. They had to wait more than a year, she said, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It shows that they have a strong level of commitment to this program,” she said.
Dunmeyer thanked senior leadership for their “phenomenal support” of FCA.
About Freestate ChalleNGe Academy
FCA is a division of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program, which was established under the authority of federal and state laws in 1993. The program is open to Maryland residents, ages 16-18.
After completing the residential program, the students are required to work closely with trained mentors from their community for 12 months, as they continue their education, enter the military or seek employment.
For more information, visit the FCA website at http://freestatemil.maryland.gov.
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