Battle Creek, Mich.- Gen. Victor E. Renuart Jr., commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado will visit the Michigan Youth ChalleNGe Academy on June 4 to talk with almost-graduates (June 13 is graduation day) about their experiences at the academy. At 3:00 p.m., Renuart will address MYCA cadets following a silent drill team performance in front of a cadet company formation on the athletic field adjacent to the academy's main building at 5500 Armstrong Road, Building 13. Opportunities to interview Renuart, MYCA leaders and cadets will follow the ceremony.

The MYCA, located on the campus of the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Battle Creek offers a second chance to Michigan high school dropouts, or potential dropouts, between the ages of 16 and 18 to earn a GED and get their life back on track. Enrollment is voluntary, and the program is free of charge to Michigan residents who qualify.

The 22-week MYCA program begins with a two week pre-challenge phase at Fort Custer Military Training Center, Augusta, Mich. While there, candidates work on physical and mental discipline. They train under the watchful eyes of MYCA cadre who use a military model to instill structure and routine. Candidates who complete the pre-challenge phase earn the title of "cadet" and then begin a 20 week challenge phase. The challenge phase is all elements of pre-challenge plus an academic load of classes in math, science, language arts, social studies and computing along with vocational training conducted at the Calhoun Area Technology Center.

Graduation marks the end of the 22-week residential program but the real mark of success is how well the graduate does in the 12 month post-residential phase when they return to their communities and independent living. During the post-residential phase graduates execute an action plan they developed before leaving the academy. They meet regularly with a mentor who they nominated and the academy trained to assist the cadet in achieving their plan. Statistics and other information about the MYCA are available at www.ngycp.org/mi.

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