MISSION
The mission of the Puerto Rico Youth ChalleNGe Academy is to improve the education, life skills, and employment potential of Youth who are disengaged from traditional educational environment. Provides closely resembles quasi-military structured, discipline, Leadership and necessary skills to become successful adults.
VISION
The Puerto Rico Youth ChalleNGe Academy’s vision is to become the Premier Educational Alternative Program for 16-18 years old high school dropouts, island wide. Providing the highest standards in education, mentoring and successful lifestyle.
8 Core Components
At the Puerto Rico Youth Challenge Academy we focus on training our Cadets to be successful members of society through the use of an Eight Core Component frame work. The Eight Core Components of the intervention model focuses on the holistic development of the Cadet. Deliberate experiential learning and training at the Academy are, therefore, created with these Eight Core Components as their foundation.
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
All Challenge participants attend daily academic classes with a total of more than 21 credits that conduct to their high school diploma. Cadets also explore the knowledge and skills required to pursue future educational opportunities throught Vocational Courses.
Cadets learn the value of a healthy, well-balanced lifestyle. Challenge offers a holistic approach that combines physical and mental well-being as cadets explore the effects of substance abuse and sexually transmitted diseases on their physical health and well-being. Cadets learn the physical and emotional benefits of proper nutrition through participation in classes and structured group discussions.
HEALTH AND HYGIENE
Cadets prepare for long-term, gainful employment. Career exploration is accomplished through career assessment and interest inventories, job-specific skills orientation and awareness, and training in area vocational centers. Specific classroom activities focus on development of individual resumes, completing job applications, and preparation for and conduct of job interviews.
JOB SKILLS
Cadets develop strong character while identifying and applying individual moral and ethical standards to perform various roles and responsibilities in a structured group environment. They learn to willingly comply with established rules, regulations, and procedures; perform basic military customs and courtesies; define and recognize leadership skills, traits, dimensions, and components; employ leadership skills while performing in a leadership position; maintain a personal living area; and function as an effective team member.
LEADERSHIP / FOLLOWERSHIP
Cadets learn skills designed to last a lifetime. Increased self-esteem and self-discipline are gained through a combination of classroom activities, group discussions, and a structured living environment. Cadets learn how to identify and self-regulate emotions, such as anger, grief, frustration, and stress and how to utilize conflict resolution strategies. Challenge provides the educational resources necessary to foster fiscal responsibility, helping cadets understand personal finance, basic banking, obtaining and managing good credit, and how to prepare and manage a personal budget.
LIFE-COPING SKILLS
Physical fitness becomes an integral part of cadet daily life. Cadets perform physical training based on the President’s Challenge, a test battery based on data collected from a variety of sources including the 1985 President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports National School Population Fitness Survey, the Amateur Athletic Union Physical Fitness Program, and the Canada Fitness Award Program.
PHYSICAL FITNESS
Cadets discover their role in the democratic process and learn their rights, privileges, and obligations as United States citizens. The U.S. and Puerto Rico Government structure and processes, along with individual rights and responsibilities at the local, state and national level, are addressed in the classroom environment, in the student government process, and through practical experiences within local communities. Those who are eligible register for selective service and to vote.
RESPONSIBLE CITIZENSHIP
Cadets realize the value and importance of giving back to the community while performing a minimum of 40 hours of service to the community and/or conservation project activities in groups and on an individual basis. These activities provide additional opportunities for career exploration as well as enhancing community-needs awareness in cadets.
SERVICE TO COMMUNITY
