Photo By Staff Sgt. Christopher Bruce | 105 graduating cadets of the 50th Thunderbird Youth Challenge class walk across the...... read more read more
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PRYOR, Okla -- Excitement and eagerness filled the auditorium of the Hershel Avra Performing Arts Center at Pryor High School. Family, friends and fellow classmates cheered on the first graduates from the newly renamed “Thunderbird Challenge Program,” formerly known as the “Thunderbird Youth Academy.”
On Saturday, June 16, Class 50 of the Program had 105 graduates walk across the stage and were awarded their completion certificate. Many cadets earned their High School Diploma or General Equivalency Diploma (GED) while in the program. Six cadets made a commitment to serve their state and nation and were sworn in as members of the Oklahoma Army National Guard.
The Thunderbird Challenge Program’s mission is to “Intervene in and reclaim the lives of at-risk youth to produce program graduates with the values, skills, education and self-discipline necessary to succeed as adults.”
“In this country, you have the right and the freedom to make whatever you want out of yourself,” said Thunderbird Youth Program Cadet Joshua Cox, as he gave his Distinguished Honor Graduate speech. “You have the power over yourself to make life whatever you want it to be.”
Cox joined the Oklahoma Army National Guard, obtained a High School Diploma and earned a scholarship while attending the program.
As one of 40 nationwide programs known as the National Guard Youth Challenge, the Thunderbird Challenge Program was established in 1993 and has graduated over 5,000 at-risk youth in its 25 years of service. It is a five and a half month program that offers youth, who have dropped out of school or are not progressing, the opportunity to change their future outside of the traditional school setting.
U.S. Rep. Markwayne Mullin was the keynote speaker at the graduation ceremony. He visited with the class just a few days after it started and spoke on his four keys to success: honesty, hard work, respect and responsibility.
“The habits you formed before you got here is what brought you here,” Mullin said. “But the habits you formed in the program, and the habits when you leave here will set you up for the life you choose to live.”
“After 22 weeks with them, you can’t have a better feeling,” said Lt. Col. (Ret.) John Altebaumer, director of the Thunderbird Challenge Program. “It’s amazing to see how far they come in just 22 weeks.”
The program is free and offers students life lessons and a chance to earn a GED or to obtain high school credits and to even take college classes through the OSU Institute of Technology.
The Thunderbird Challenge Program takes in U.S. Citizen or resident at-risk youth, 16-18 years old, without a High School Diploma or GED. Participants cannot have a felony conviction or capital offense and must be mentally and physically able to complete the program.
You can get more information about the program and find a sign up form at http://thunderbird.org/
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| Date Taken: | 06.16.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 06.21.2018 09:11 |
| Story ID: | 281247 |
| Location: | PRYOR, OK, US |
| Web Views: | 353 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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