Program History

The Thunderbird Youth Academy was launched in September of 1993 under the National Guard Bureau, as a three-year federally funded pilot program. Permanent funding was obtained in September 1996 when the state of Oklahoma allocated funds to support the program. Since 1993, Oklahoma`s ChalleNGe program has made continuous improvements and enhancements keeping the Academy in the lead of Oklahoma`s youth-serving organizations. There are currently 30 Youth ChalleNGe programs across the United States.

Mission

The primary mission of the Thunderbird Youth Academy (TYA) is to intervene in the lives of at-risk youth. Specifically, TYA targets 16 to 18 year old (male or female) high school dropouts giving them the opportunity to gain control over their lives by increasing academic performance; improving self esteem; and teaching essential life skills enabling them to compete in the work place and manage a healthy family environment. The program utilizes a `quasi-military` approach capitalizing on military assets, doctrine and principles to teach self-discipline, improve self-esteem and physical fitness thereby addressing the needs of the `whole person`.

Setting

Thunderbird Youth Academy (TYA) located in Pryor, Oklahoma is a program of the Oklahoma National Guard. Thunderbird Youth Academy is a 17-month program that consists of a 5 month residential phase at the Whitaker Education Training Center in Pryor, Ok, and a 12 month community-based post-residential phase.

For the first 22 weeks, enrolled youth are in residence at the Whitaker Center 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The purpose of this phase is to instill in each cadet a sense of self-discipline and community spirit using a variety of methods built around the program`s eight core objectives. This phase is divided into 2 parts, the first two weeks are called Pre-ChalleNGe and the last 20 are called ChalleNGe.

Requirements

The National Guard Bureau requires that all TYA applicants meet specific criteria in order to participate in the program. To be eligible for admittance, applicants must be:

• 16 - 19 years of age
• A U.S. citizen (or resident status)
• A resident of the state of Oklahoma
• High school dropout (cannot have a GED)
• Drug free
• Mentally and physically capable of completing the program
• Uninvolved in the legal system (not currently on parole or probation, not in custody, no future hearings pending and no felony or capital convictions).
• Youth must be willing to attend - it is a voluntary program