Wisconsin Wins the Richard A. Wolf Award
For Excellence in Innovation
For the Second Year in a Row
Continuing its practice of striving to best serve cadets, the Wisconsin National Guard Challenge Academy won the prestigious Richard A. Wolf Award for Excellence in Innovation again in 2009. The National Guard Bureau instituted this annual award in 2004, which honors the memory of Sergeant Major Richard Wolf, a consummate innovator throughout his career in the Special Forces and as Program Director of the Florida Youth ChalleNGe Academy.
The Richard A. Wolf Award for Excellence in Innovation
The Richard A. Wolf Award for Excellence in Innovation recognizes a ChalleNGe program that demonstrates creative thinking and seizes opportunities to efficiently and effectively improve program operations, increase public support, develop new resources, or establish new partnerships. In 2009, there were over fifteen notable entries. The Wisconsin Challenge Academy won this year’s award for the “Pre-ChalleNGe Daily Candidate Evaluation.”
Wisconsin’s Candidate Evaluation Process Wins in 2009
The Pre-ChalleNGe practice of determining which cadets are most inclined to succeed in the program is a difficult process. Based on the research of clinical psychologist and author Dr. Stanton Samenow, the Wisconsin ChalleNGe Academy developed a thorough system of candidate assessment. Implemented during Pre-ChalleNGe, the process helps the program systematically evaluate applicants. The daily evaluation process defines staff roles in the evaluation process. It also institutes a common language and method for candidate assessment so specific recommendations can be made to the Academy’s Pre-ChalleNGe Board. Since implementing the process in January of 2007, the program has increasingly selected candidates most inclined to succeed leading the program to meet or exceed its target graduation for its last four consecutive classes. As a result of this process, the Wisconsin Challenge Academy serves more cadets.
Wisconsin’s P-RAP Life Simulation Wins in 2008
Self-governance and planning are difficult concepts for cadets to learn. Based on research and observation, the Wisconsin Challenge Academy developed the Life Simulation in 2006 to create an opportunity for cadets to engage in self-governance, practice planning skills and experience success by overcoming obstacles. Spread over a one month period, cadets test their plans for the future through the Life Simulation. During the event, cadets obtain and maintain employment, transportation and housing, manage finances, find entertainment and deal with the surprises of life. At the end of the simulation, staff evaluates cadet performance and cadets learn to change and adjust plans based on their experiences. The success of the Life Simulation is best summarized in the words of one of the cadets participating, “I learned to think and plan ahead.”
As a result of the Life Simulation, cadet understanding of the planning process has increased substantially, cadets are developing realistic plans and staff can identify potential problems cadets may face during the Post-Residential phase.
