FT. KNOX, Ky. (Sept. 7, 2005) – The Kentucky National Guard’s Bluegrass ChalleNGe Academy has announced that University of Kentucky Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart will serve as an official advocate and spokesperson for the program, which works with at-risk teens in Kentucky.

The Bluegrass ChalleNGe Academy, based at Ft. Knox, trains and mentors 16- to18-year-old high school drop-outs in a structured, quasi-military program that helps participants improve their life skills, build self-discipline and increase education levels and employment potential.  The 17-month program consists of a five-month residential phase followed by a 12-month mentoring phase.

“The Bluegrass ChalleNGe Academy literally turns young lives around,“ said Barnhart. “Through a program that includes discipline, academics and life-skills training, these teens are getting a second chance.  Clearly, it’s a program that works.”

The Bluegrass ChalleNGe Academy is one of 29 programs in 24 states operated by the National Guard that provide at-risk youth the opportunity to improve their lives.  It has been recognized as one of the nation’s most effective and cost-efficient programs for targeting youth who are at the greatest risk for substance abuse, teen pregnancy, delinquency and criminal activity.  The Bluegrass ChalleNGe Academy at Ft. Knox was established in 1999.

The cadets – most of whom are dealing with serious personal issues – go on to earn their GED, enroll in college, start a career or join military service. About 75 percent of those who enroll at Bluegrass ChalleNGe Academy obtain their GED and increase their reading skills by as much as four grade levels.  All cadets enter the program voluntarily.

Bluegrass Challenge Academy instructors work with volunteers in the state who agree to mentor the cadets for a year as they make decisions regarding college or the workforce.  The trained mentors meet with cadets regularly to encourage them to maintain the discipline and effort they showed while taking part in the residency program.

Barnhart said he was particularly impressed with the mentoring program.  “After five months at Ft. Knox, the cadets aren’t simply sent back home,” he said. “Instead, the Bluegrass ChalleNGe arranges for mentors – men and women in their communities – who can help them practice the good habits they learned while at Ft. Knox."

Barnhart, who is entering his fourth year as director of athletics for the University of Kentucky, will work to raise awareness of the Bluegrass ChalleNGe Academy throughout the state.  He first visited the program in August 2005 and will work to bring the program’s success stories to the public’s attention.

“We’re delighted to have Mitch on board with the ChalleNGe,” said Col. John W. Smith (Ret.), director of the Bluegrass ChalleNGe Academy.  “He has a passion for working with young people and possesses uncompromising integrity.  We’re glad to have him on our team.”

The Bluegrass ChalleNGe Academy is supported in part by the National Guard Youth Foundation, which  is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization formed to support the work of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program through public awareness, scholarships, higher education assistance, mentoring and job development programs for graduates.  The foundation is also working to expand the number of states and sites per state to accommodate growing demand for the program.