Area students are among Youth Challenge Program cadet grads

The Louisiana National Guard Youth Challenge Program was scheduled to graduate 250 cadets during a ceremony held Saturday at The Pentecostal Church in Alexandria.
U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, and Rep. Ralph Abraham, District 5, will join Maj. Gen. Glenn H. Curtis, adjutant general of the Louisiana National Guard at the graduation ceremony. Cassidy and Abraham will deliver a commencement address.
Through partnerships with Bossier Parish Community College and Associated Building Contractors, The Youth Challenge Program now offers students additional opportunities to further their educational goals.
The graduating class from Pineville includes 51 cadets who participated in the community college program and earned a total of 471 transferrable college credits before graduating from the five-month residential phase.
Additionally, in partnership with Associated Building Contractors, 46 cadets completed a 90-hour course which allows them to become certified in basic construction technology.
Area graduates include the following.
Acadia Parish
Tabatha E. Bridy Rayne; S’Quan T. Coleman, Church Point; Jordan M. Doucet, Church Point; Gage M. Johnson, Crowley; and Brandon L. Miller.
Evangeline Parish
Joshua W. Craver and Logan S. Roy, both of Mamou.
St. Landry Parish
Bryland L. Babineaux, Opelousas; Cain J. Bridges, Opelousas; Lander M. Callandret, Arnaudville; Joshua B. Copeland, Opelousas; Logan A. Franklin, Arnaudville; Seth A. Hargroder, Opelousas; Timothy I. Janice, Eunice; De’Quavious T. Johnson, Opelousas; Bryan H. Lacassin, Krotz Springs; Deonte D. Levier Opelousas; Kaleb J. Perrodin, Arnaudville; Keith C. Prestenbach, Arnaudville; Trisdan J. Rideaux, Eunice; Crystal D. Roberson, Opelousas; Gregory D.S. Texada, Opelousas; Emerald J. A. Williams, Eunice.
Maj. Kenneth Paul, director of YCP at Camp Beauregard stated, “Our cadets have come to the Youth Challenge Program from all walks of life, from various locations across the state, and with unique personal challenges. Our cadets understood that life was not what it should have been and volunteered to make a change. The Louisiana National Guard Youth Challenge Program has facilitated that change and provided hope to many teenagers and their families through this second chance.”
The mission of the Louisiana National Guard Youth Challenge Program is to intervene in and reclaim the lives of 16- to 18-year-old adolescents, producing program graduates with the values, life skills, education, and self-discipline necessary in order to succeed as productive citizens.
The Youth Challenge Program offers young people an opportunity to improve their lives through participation in an innovative, alternative school.
The Youth Challenge Program is administered to participants at no cost, and all needs such as meals, bedding, classroom instruction, and uniforms are provided free of charge. This award-winning program has been recognized as one of the nation’s most effective and cost efficient programs for targeting at-risk youth.
Since 1994, more than 100,000 cadets have graduated nationwide with more than 19,000 being from Louisiana. Typically, Louisiana graduates approximately 1,400 teens a year from three locations: Camp Beauregard near Alexandria, Camp Minden near Shreveport and The Gillis W. Long Center near Baton Rouge. More than 80 percent of teens that graduate this two-phase program go on to further their education, join the work force or enlist into the military.