SENATOR ROCKEFELLER MEETS WITH MOUNTAINEER CHALLENGE ACADEMY CADETS

Washington, DC – Senator Jay Rockefeller met with cadets and leaders from West Virginia’s Mountaineer ChalleNGe Academy in Kingwood, W.Va. this week while they were in town for a national recognition dinner. 

“For too many young people, getting ahead in life can be tough. But all of our at-risk youth deserve the opportunity to take their futures into their own hands – to reclaim their lives, to prepare for their careers, and to make a difference for themselves and their communities,” said Rockefeller.

“It’s no secret in West Virginia that the Mountaineer ChalleNGe Academy has an impressive track record of helping young people get on a path to success. It was a real honor for me to meet with all of them and give recognition to their hard work,” Rockefeller said.

Background

The Mountaineer ChalleNGe Academy began in 1993 as an education and training component of the National Guard with the mission of “training and mentoring selected at-risk youth to become contributing members of society.”  The West Virginia Academy was one of the founding members, and Major General Allen Tackett – Adjutant General for the West Virginia National Guard – has been instrumental in the program’s growth.

The Academy offers an intense training program for high school drop-outs and disadvantaged students ages 16 to 18.  It is a 22-week program that emphasizes education and military discipline.  The eight key components are: academic excellence – including getting a GED; life coping skills; job skills; health and hygiene; responsible citizenship; service to the community; leadership/followership; and, physical fitness.