Photo By John Crosby | Hoosier Youth ChalleNGe Academy Cadet First Sergeant Terrion Berry, 17, of Hammond,...... read more read more
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INDIANAPOLIS – The Hoosier Youth ChalleNGe Academy cadets and cadre of Knightstown, Ind., visited the Indiana War Memorial, downtown Indianapolis, Nov. 18.
The students were given a tour by the museum faculty there, a break from their day-to-day, rigorous, quasi-military training.
Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels and the Indiana Adjutant General Maj. Gen. R. Martin Umbarger established HYCA in 2007 in conjunction with the Indiana National Guard. The Indiana National Guard HYCA is part of the National Youth ChalleNGe Program which was established in 1993 by the National Guard and has graduated more than 90,000 young men and women between the ages of 16 and 18 who have dropped out of high school or are severely deficient in credits by bringing structure and discipline to these unfocused lives, according to the program’s website.
“These are just kids who need a little extra help and a little extra love,” said HYCA English Instructor Angela Holmes from South Bend, Ind. “We have plenty to give.”
Holmes said HYCA conducts two classes a year. Each class visits the Indiana War Memorial.
“It tends to be a favorite,” said Holmes. “Because we are quasi-military, I think it really hits home for them. It helps them to truly understand the sacrifices that so many people have made for the liberties that they enjoy.”
The Indiana War Memorial, part of the five-city block War Memorial Plaza located in the center of downtown Indianapolis, was constructed in 1919 using Indiana limestone. Inside the complex is a chronological museum depicting our history from the Revolutionary War through our current conflicts.
“The memorial was great, very interesting,” said 17-year-old Terrion Berry from Hammond, Ind. Berry is the class cadet first sergeant, he has leadership responsibility over his classmates. “I think everyone really enjoyed the tour. It was a nice change of pace.”
Berry was kicked out of high school for behavioral issues. He joined HYCA and has excelled among his peers.
“I always got good grades in school,” said Berry. “But I had a problem with authority. The academy has really taught me leadership-followership skills. If you walk in here with a problem with authority, you’re gonna learn how to deal with it. Really, any problems that you have in life, they’ll help walk you through it. It’s like a family. The cadre has been great.”
After graduating HYCA, Berry plans to earn a communications management degree.
| Date Taken: | 11.19.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 11.19.2010 17:29 |
| Story ID: | 60518 |
| Location: | INDIANAPOLIS, IN, US |
| Web Views: | 467 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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