History & Mission

In 1999, the Montana National Guard established the Montana Youth Challenge Academy (MYCA)  on the campus of the University of Montana Western as an intervention program to reclaim the lives of Montana teens who had dropped out of high school or who were not on track to graduate. The term "at-risk", for our purposes, refers to the risk of not graduating high school. We are well aware of the negative life outcomes that are associated with this risk: poverty, incarceration, and early death are among them. It is because the stakes are so high that the Department of Defense invested in the Challenge model of youth development and community outreach.  

MYCA is one of more than 40 programs in 28 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. All Youth Challenge Programs help at-risk youth earn their high school diploma, an equivalency, or credit recovery toward graduation.

The Academy incorporates best practices in positive youth development from a combination of educational and military models. Staff leverage high-quality and trusting relationships with program participants, their parents and guardians, and a vast network of MYCA supporters to achieve success. Challenge continues to work with program participants for one year after they graduate from the residential phase to help them enroll in college, trade school, start a career, or join the military. 

To date, the Academy has graduated over 4,100 cadets from across the State of Montana!

vision

Our vision is to be the preferred alternative education setting for promoting the success of youth, between the ages of 16 to 18 years old, in the State of Montana. We will fulfill this vision by continuing to demonstrate our commitment to the youth we serve, and their families, with mastery of the quasi-military training model— a proven delivery method.