Hundreds

of young people in Georgia are seizing a unique

opportunity for educational growth, and it is

literally turning their lives around.

group of local business and government leaders

got a firsthand look Friday at this opportunity

- the Youth Challenge Academy, sponsored by

the National Guard and funded with a combination

of state and federal dollars.

Boarding

a C-130 transport at Dobbins Air Force Base in

Marietta in the early morning hours, the visitors

spent the day at Fort Stewart, just outside

Savannah, where the program is based. Most, if

not all, came away impressed.

In

the past six years, Youth Challenge has reached

out to about 2,000 of the nearly 48,000 young men

and women who have dropped out of high school.

Each five-month session combines high school with

military-style activities (although this is not a

"boot camp" - each student is here

voluntarily, without any assistance or directive

from the correctional system).

The

school is not for the faint of heart, but is open

to young people 16-18 who have dropped out of

school, are unemployed, drug-free and not

involved in the legal system.

The

reasons for deciding to attend the academy are as

varied as the backgrounds of the 200 or so

students in each session. But the obvious pride

and self-esteem shown by each student, many for

the first time in their lives, is evident from

the start.

The

current crop of students has just completed eight

weeks, including the first four weeks which are

dubbed "hard-core." Discipline and

physical testing are emphasized during the early

days of the academy.

In

addition to traditional academic work, students

study life and work skills, responsible

citizenship, leadership, followership, health,

hygiene, fitness and community involvement. It

makes for a full day.

Of

the 2,000 graduates so far, an astonishing 94

percent have stayed out of trouble. Students from

65 counties in Georgia, including Fayette and

Coweta, have attended and succeeded.

Nearly

every student moves upward and onward immediately

after graduation - to college, a job, a

technical school or the military.

Leading

the group that visited the program last week was

state Sen. Rick Price, one of the biggest

boosters of Youth Challenge and someone who is

constantly selling the program to his peers under

the Gold Dome.

"It's

a great program," he said. "I believe

all the legislators who have seen the program are

very supportive."

Right

now most of the overall budget ($4 million in

Georgia) for Youth Challenge is funded by the

federal Department of Defense, which started the

program in seven states and now operates in 28.

The

U.S. government is gradually weaning states off

federal funding, with a 65-35 split this year and

settling next year at 60-40. This allows the feds

to move into other states with the program.

But

because of this, Price and others who tout Youth

Challenge will have to find more state dollars to

supplement what is lost. Price believes that he

needs only to get people to see what's happening

at Fort Stewart and the rest is easy.

"It's

not a hard sell," he said. "It's easy

due to the 94-percent success rate."

nonprofit corporation also exists to help the

program, and private sponsorship is always being

sought.

One

participant in last Friday's trip brought with

her 60 pair of running shoes that were donated

for the students' use. The school already uses a

school bus donated by Henry County.

representative from the Fayette County Board of

Education made the trip last week, as did State

Court Judge Fletcher Sams and Solicitor-General

Steve Harris, two men who unfortunately see a

number of young people pass through their court

each year.

"It

was an inspiring trip," said Harris.

"It apparently is one government program

that actually works."

He

brought back an application, made copies and

ordered literature to keep in the front of his

office so parents can readily see it.

The

thing that struck Harris the hardest, he said,

was the sadly high percentage of broken homes

that figured into the overall number of students

in the program. Many of those young people simply

give up when their parents split up, he said.

"From

an educational standpoint, a lot of these kids

have given up on the system," said Harris.

"Or the system's given up on them."

He

met one student on this trip who has been through

his court, and he was extremely pleased with the

progress that student and the others are making.

According

to Price, three students in the current class are

from Fayette County, two are from the Newnan

area, and one is from the Griffin area.

Chris

Cody and Joshua Fountain were friends before they

decided separately to go to YCA and they are now

in barracks next to each other. They feel like

brothers now and provide much-needed support for

one another.

Asked

what he has learned from this experience,

Fountain said, "When you start something,

finish. Quitting gets you nowhere. Always work as

a team, but you have to get along with yourself

first. One person can't make a team work.

"We

are like 200 Legos. If one is pulled out, it

won't work, but you should always do your best to

make it work. Always do what you're supposed to

do like someone is watching."

Cody

added that he has discovered during his time at

Youth Challenge what he has taken for granted in

the past - specifically, his family.

"I've

grown up a lot and realize I have to help myself

first before I can help others," he said.

"I'm learning to get along with others and

do for myself. It's just great. I've never felt

this good before.

"I've

learned to open up to God. That's the most

important thing I've learned," he added.

"I go to church every time I can. It's

helped. I'm a better Christian person."

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