Photo By Senior Master Sgt. Paul Gorman | Cadets with the Wisconsin Challenge Academy’s 55th graduating class conduct a drill...... read more read more
A corps of 105 Wisconsin youth became the Wisconsin Challenge Academy’s 55th graduating class Dec. 20, following a formal ceremony at Lincoln High School.
The academy is a part of the National Guard Youth Challenge Program based at Fort McCoy, which introduces at-risk youth to the values, skills, education and self-discipline required to succeed as adults.
Retired Brig. Gen. Joni Mathews has served as the academy’s director since April 2022, following 36 years of military service that culminated with her role as Wisconsin’s deputy adjutant general for Army.
“The commencement ceremony is what truly drew me to the academy and inspired me to serve as the director,” Mathews said. “The gym is filled with pride, from families, friends, mentors, our team and especially the cadets as soon as they enter. You can feel it in the room as it erupts in tears of joy, loud applause and cheers.”
The graduation marked the completion of the highly regimented 22-week residential phase of the program during which all 105 cadets received their high school equivalency diploma, earned between seven and 13 college credits, ran over 160 miles and collectively contributed to 5085 hours of community service.
Maj. Gen. Matthew Strub, Wisconsin’s adjutant general, addressed the cadets and family members in attendance before presenting each cadet with their graduation certificate.
“What makes this day truly special is not the diploma, it's the journey that you took here,” Strub said. “You were challenged in ways that tested your discipline, your resilience and your determination. And through it all you discovered that success is not about perfection. It's about perseverance.”
Additional awards and scholarships were presented to individual cadets for exceptional achievement throughout the program’s residential phase. The highest recognition, that of distinguished honor graduate, was presented to Cadet Zion Martinez, who presented parting remarks on behalf of the cadet corps.
“My father told me you can make it happen, it just depends how bad you want it," said Martinez. “Class 55, we have proven how bad we want it. We have the tools, we have the character and we have the discipline. Now, it's time to go out and make it happen. Let's not just wait for the future. Let's build it.”
The graduation ceremony also marked the beginning of the program’s 12-month post-residential phase, during which mentors previously paired with each graduate will help them to sustain and build on the gains made during their residential phase.
“These teens voluntarily chose to attend the Academy. It wasn’t easy, but they did it,” said Mathews. “They overcame so many challenges, gained confidence, and set goals and dreams they never thought were possible.”
For additional information about the Wisconsin Challenge Academy including guidelines for enrollment, visit: https://challengeacademy.org.
| Date Taken: | 12.19.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 12.24.2025 13:07 |
| Story ID: | 555266 |
| Location: | WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 15 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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