In an effort to continue making a positive impact on students across the state of Indiana, Noblesville-based Options Schools and the Indiana National Guard Hoosier Youth ChalleNGe Academy have come together in order to provide students with an opportunity to continue progressing towards their high school diploma.
The Indiana National Guard Hoosier Youth ChalleNGe Academy (HYCA) is part of the National Youth ChalleNGe Program, which was established in 1993 by the National Guard and has graduated over 1,895 Cadets since the program was founded in 2007.
The Youth ChalleNGe Program was developed to change the life path of 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 with an emphasis on the eight Core Components. HYCA empowers youths to embrace responsibility, achievement and positive behavior, while also instilling confidence, fostering ambition and increasing employment opportunities.
HYCA is a 17 ½-month, two-phase, quasi-military training academy, with the first 5 ½ months of the program referred to as the Residential Phase in which Cadets live at the HYCA campus in Knightstown, Ind. The program has been based in Knightstown since 2010.
Serving students in grades 6-12, Options Schools are free, public charter schools with brick and mortar campuses in Carmel and Noblesville, and a new campus opening in Westfield in August 2021. Options also offers additional programs that serve students throughout the state of Indiana (serving over 90 school corporations). With a high-quality, individualized approach, Options was founded in 2002 and specializes in providing students with an inclusive environment and a student-to-teacher ratio of 15-to-1.
As is the case within all Options Schools programs, flexibility for students remains an important focus. Options @ HYCA students are able to continue to earn credits towards their high school diploma while attending HYCA. Students will have the ability to graduate from Options if eligible, transfer back to their home high school following HYCA graduation or continue with one of the many Options programs available.
“There are many similarities when it comes to the mission and focus of Options Schools and the Hoosier Youth ChalleNGe Academy, which makes it exciting to be able to have the two organizations work together,” said Mike Gustin, Options CEO/President. “We are excited that our partnership with the Hoosier Youth ChalleNGe Academy is going to help provide more students with a high-quality education and benefit the lives of young people across Indiana.”
Learn more at OptionsSchools.org.