BATTLE CREEK – Standing alongside academy administrators and program graduates, State Representative Kate Segal (D-Battle Creek) today called on fellow Michigan lawmakers to save the Battle Creek-based Michigan Youth ChalleNGe Academy (MYCA), a free, nonprofit program run by the National Guard that gives at-risk youths the chance to transform themselves into successful adults. Unless about $1 million is restored to the state budget currently being considered by the Michigan Legislature, the academy will be forced to shut down.
"This is a fantastic program that really works. It has a proven track record of changing lives for the better and it's an investment worth fighting for," Segal said. "The academy takes at-risk kids from across the state and gives them the tools they need to build a better future. Between 80 percent and 90 percent of academy graduates either earn their GED or a high school diploma. Unfortunately, now it's the academy that has been put at risk. Today, I'm asking lawmakers in Lansing to take another look at the budget and restore this very important investment."
Unless funding for the MYCA is restored to the state budget, not only will at-risk kids from across Michigan lose their last best chance to graduate from high school, but more than 50 employees of the MYCA will lose their jobs. If the academy closes its doors, supporting these unemployed workers will cost the state approximately $2 million – more than the cost of the state funding being cut.
Similar to other ChalleNGe programs across the country, the MYCA is funded through a mix of state and federal funds. Up until this year, the federal portion of the MYCA funding comprised 60 percent with the state providing 40 percent. For fiscal year 2010, however, the federal government has upped its share to 75 percent with the state having to pick up only the remaining 25 percent. The academy needs $4.1 million to operate in 2010 – $1.025 million of which would come from the state; the rest is federal funding.
The MYCA is a voluntary, quasi-military program that provides cadets with a rigorous classroom curriculum and the personal development, discipline and life skills to positively reshape their lives. The cadets' training includes providing service to the community through projects such as Habitat for Humanity, the Salvation Army, Toys for Tots, the Binder Park Zoo, the Marcellus City Park cleanup and many more. Over the years, academy cadets have contributed more than 77,900 hours of community service to area organizations.
Since its inception in 1999, the MYCA has graduated 1,772 cadets from across the state – more than 1,000 of which have earned their GEDs, while others return to high school to earn a diploma. It is considered one of the most successful of the 34 ChalleNGe academies across the country. After graduation, cadets participate in the MYCA's award-winning mentorship program to help them achieve continued success.
Segal also announced the launch of an online petition where residents can show their support for the academy. Residents can sign the petition by visiting Segal's Web site, house.mi.gov/ksegal, and clicking on the "Save the Michigan Youth Challenge Academy" button on the left side of the page.
Residents also can show their support and follow Segal's efforts on Facebook by searching "Michigan Youth Challenge Academy," or on Twitter at twitter.com/michallenge.
"Our kids need the Michigan Youth ChalleNGe Academy, and so does our community," Segal said. "Over the years, these cadets have reshaped their lives while also giving back tens of thousands of hours of service to our community. Not only can we not afford to turn our backs on these young men and women, but with the economic challenges Battle Creek faces, we simply can't afford to lose any more jobs. I hope our residents will join me in this fight to give our kids the chance to create better lives for themselves while saving the jobs of dozens of our friends and neighbors."