KINGWOOD, W.Va. –
The West Virginia National Guard’s Mountaineer ChalleNGe Academy – North program, located in Kingwood, West Virginia, graduated 90 cadets as a part of Class 63 on Dec. 13, 2024, at Camp Dawson, West Virginia.
The Honorable Ronald T. Keohane, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, served as the keynote guest speaker for the event and addressed the cadets accomplishments while charging them with keeping their focus on a bright future.
“This moment is more than a ceremony. It is a celebration of your remarkable accomplishments, and a culmination of the dedication and hard work you have invested in your success,” Keohane said. “Your decision to attend this academy is a real testament to your character and resolve, and you can be proud of your graduation here today.”
“Commencement signifies a beginning,” he added. “Today is a pivotal start forward in your adulthood and the rest of your lives. You are embarking on a new and very exciting journey, and the experiences you have gained here have equipped you with powerful tools to thrive. These tools include the ability to make the right choices, communication, and teamwork. You’ve truly learned the value of hard work and discipline. And all these tools have been underpinned by the vital virtue of integrity... a life tool that can never be taken from you.”
“Keep moving forward. Be willing to adapt. Build upon the success from these past few months and push yourself every day to be a little bit better. Understand that often our greatest victories often lie in the other side of our toughest battles. Embrace these lessons and let them propel you to new heights. You are our future leaders, innovators, and change makers of our nation, so never stop learning and growing. Take every day to be reflective, make a difference, and be a beacon of hope to those around you. Endeavor to leave a legacy of kindness, compassion and excellence. Let your life story be the book everyone wants to read.”
Class 63 has 67 cadets, or 72 percent, graduating the program with a high school diploma. Of those graduating, 47 percent (42 cadets) plan to join the workforce, 10 percent (9 cadets) plan to join the military, 26 percent (23 cadets) plan to attend a vocational/technical program and three percent (3 cadets) plan to go onto a four-year college program. Fourteen percent of the class (13 cadets) plan to participate in the Mountaineer Job ChalleNGe Program after graduation.
Class 63 represents 34 different counties throughout the Mountain State, with Kanawha County having the highest enrollment for the course with 13 cadets.
Throughout the 22-week program, cadets provided more than 4,227 hours of community service through 48 different projects, a recognized value of more than $141,585.67.
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.
A total of 5,902 cadets have graduated from the Mountaineer ChalleNGe Academy program since 1993.
Award winners from Class 63 are as follows:
This award recognizes the Top Over-All Cadet for the entire 22-week residential phase of the ChalleNGe Program. This Cadet will have demonstrated leadership, academic improvement, and effort in physical training on the Progress Reports.
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ROBERT C. BYRD DISTINGUISHED CADET AWARD
Cadet Nicholas Kemper
Saint Albans, WV - Kanawha
son of Jessica Kemper of St. Albans
ADJUTANT GENERAL’S AWARD FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
Cadet Genevieve Lowthorp
Lewisburg, WV - Greenbrier
son of Stephanie Myers and Eric Cooke of Lewisburg
LEADERSHIP AWARD
Cadet Simon Trembly
Masontown, WV - Preston
son of John and Josephine Trembly of Masontown
and Christy and Josh Bernard of Swanton, MD
CITIZENSHIP AWARD
Cadet Royce Dawson
Kingwood, WV - Preston
son of Chad and Elizabeth Dawson of Kingwood
ACADEMIC CHALLENGE AWARD
Cadet Ashton Varner
Nettie, WV - Nicholas
son of Doug and Cheryl Varner of Nettie
MOST IMPROVED CADET AWARD
Cadet Skyler DeBarr
Buckhannon, WV - Upshur
son of Crystal Replogle of Buckhannon
“ESPRIT DE CORPS” AWARD
Cadet Ethan Hunter
South Charleston, WV - Kanawha
son of Jessica and Derrick Dunlap of South Charleston
“IRON MIKE” AWARD FOR PHYSICAL FITNESS
Cadet Nicholas Kemper
Saint Albans, WV - Kanawha
son of Jessica Kemper of St. Albans
THE CRUCIBLE CHALLENGE AWARD
Cadet Simon Trembly
Masontown, WV - Preston
son of John and Josephine Trembly of Masontown
and Christy and Josh Bernard of Swanton, MD
CAPTAIN JOSEPH L. CULLINAN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Cadet Simon Trembly
Masontown, WV - Preston
son of John and Josephine Trembly of Masontown
and Christy and Josh Bernard of Swanton, MD
Enlisted: WV ANG MOS Aerospace Propulsion
Enlistment Date: November 6, 2024