KINGWOOD, W.Va. –
The West Virginia National Guard’s Mountaineer ChalleNGe Academy – North program continues to advance and mold young lives, as 101 cadets of Class 2-2023 graduated today from their campus at Camp Dawson in Kingwood, West Virginia.
“The dedication, devotion, pride, and confidence these cadets have developed and demonstrated over the past 22 weeks exemplifies the best attributes of leadership, personal courage, and commitment,” stated Maj. Gen. Bill Crane, the Adjutant General of West Virginia. “It’s always an honor for our One Guard family to celebrate the accomplishments of our next generation of West Virginians who will no doubt make an incredible impact on our state and nation in the future.”
Class 2-2023 North had 66 cadets, or 65 percent, graduating the program with a high school diploma. Of those graduating, 39 percent (39 cadets) plan to join the workforce, 6 percent (6 cadets) plan to join the military, 39 percent (40 cadets) plan to attend a vocational/technical program and 2 percent (3 cadets) plan to go onto a four-year college program. Fourteen percent of the class (14 cadets) plan to participate in the Mountaineer Job ChalleNGe Program after graduation.
This class represents 30 different counties throughout the Mountain State, with Kanawha county having the highest enrollment for the course with 16 cadets.
Throughout the 22-week program, cadets provided more than 4,632 hours of community service through 47 different projects, a recognized value of more than $147,300.00.
The mission of the Mountaineer ChalleNGe Academy is to train and mentor selected at-risk youth to become contributing members of society using the Eight Core Components in a quasi-military environment during a 22-week residential and one-year post-residential follow-up program. It is a free volunteer program for West Virginia youth ages 16 to 18 years old who are educationally at-risk.
Since its inception in 1994, the Mountaineer ChalleNGe program has graduated a total of 5,603 cadets.
Award winners from the program are as follows:
ROBERT C. BYRD DISTINGUISHED CADET AWARD
Cadet Kody Blosser
Morgantown, Monongalia County
Son of Tiffany and Derek Blosser of Morgantown
ADJUTANT GENERAL’S AWARD FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
Cadet Danielle Slider
Fairmont, Marion County
Daughter of Kristy and Phil Slider of Fairmont
LEADERSHIP AWARD
Cadet Dylan Ebert
Wheeling, Ohio County
Son of Jennifer Ebert of Wheeling
CITIZENSHIP AWARD
Cadet Matthew Gain
Philippi, Barbour County
Son of Heather Gain of Philippi
ACADEMIC CHALLENGE AWARD
Cadet Michael Willis III
Martinsburg, Berkeley County
Son of Donna Reid of Martinsburg
MOST IMPROVED CADET AWARD
Cadet Tobias Murphy
Morgantown, Monogalia County
Son of Kirsten Nelson of Morgantown
“ESPRIT DE CORPS” AWARD
Cadet Kody Blosser
Morgantown, Monongalia County
Son of Tiffany and Derek Blosser of Morgantown
“IRON MIKE” AWARD FOR PHYSICAL FITNESS
Cadet Dylan Ebert
Wheeling, Ohio County
Son of Jennifer Ebert of Wheeling
MOUNTAINEER CHALLENGE AWARD
Cadet Kody Blosser
Morgantown, Monongalia County
Son of Tiffany and Derek Blosser of Morgantown