Oshio Graduates Montana Youth Challenge Academy

A commencement ceremony for Class 44 of the Montana Youth Challenge Academy took place June 12 at Vigilante Stadium in Dillon. Seventy-nine cadets were acknowledged for their completion of the program, including Adrien Oshio, from Malta, MT.

Elsie Arntzen, Montana's State Superintendent of Public Instruction was the guest speaker. Other distinguished guests included Major General John (Pete) Hronek, the Adjutant General for Montana, and Michael Reid, the Chancellor of The University of Montana-Western.

The Montana Youth Challenge Academy is a residential academic-intervention program on the campus of the University of Montana-Western for 16 to 18 year old students who are at risk of high school dropout. Designed by the National Guard Bureau and run through a cooperative agreement between the federal government and the state of Montana, the Academy offers military-style structure and discipline along with academic, professional, and life-coping skills students need to become productive citizens. Following graduation from the residential phase, students continue to build on the gains made and apply the new skills they have learned to their home environment. Mentors, who have been matched with the cadets during the Residential Phase, play a critical role in ensuring their continued success.

Challenge conducts two class sessions per year. The upcoming summer/fall session begins July 20, 2021 and the winter/spring session is scheduled to begin January 18, 2022. For more information about the Challenge program to include mentoring, employment or enrollment opportunities, please contact 1-877-367-6927 or visit their website at http://www.mycacademy.org.