HARRISBURG – Senator Mike Regan was appointed as a member of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Advisory Board.
The National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program, established by Act 51 of 2018, provides a quasi-military education to at-risk youth in order to help them earn a high school diploma or its equivalent, preparing them to move on to higher education, employment or military service. The program, which currently operates in 27 states and Puerto Rico, will operate in Pennsylvania under the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
“Last year, I had the privilege of voting in support of Act 51,” said Sen. Regan, Chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee. “Today, I am proud to play a role in the establishment and implementation of what will be called the Keystone State ChalleNGe Academy.
The National Guard established the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program in 1933 to help young men and women who may struggle to complete an educational program in a traditional high school. To that end, the program seeks to improve participants’ life skills and employment potential by providing military-based training and supervised work experience, together with the core program components of assisting participants to receive a high school diploma or its equivalent; leadership development; promoting fellowship and community service; developing life coping skills and job skills; and improving physical fitness, health and hygiene.
Senator Regan serves on the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Advisory Board, along with Representatives Stan Saylor (Chairman), Senator Maria Collett, Senator Doug Mastriano, Representative Tim O’Neal, Representative Jake Wheatley, Adjutant General Anthony Carrelli, Major General Michael Regan, Major General Mark Schindler, and Education Secretary Pedro Rivera.
CONTACT: Nate Silcox (Senator Regan), 717-787-8524 nsilcox@pasen.gov