ANNVILLE — The Pennsylvania Department of Veterans and Military Affairs’ Keystone State ChalleNGe Academy will hold virtual meetings to recruit volunteers who are interested in mentoring at-risk teenagers.
Starting Monday, the informational meetings will occur online the first Monday of every month from 2 to 3 p.m. The meetings will provide prospective volunteers an overview of the KSCA program as well as an in-depth summary of the mentors’ role and responsibilities.
“Volunteer mentors play an important part of a cadet’s journey to completing the program and living a better life,” said Steve Grossman, KSCA director. “They provide much-needed guidance and direction to their cadets. Rolling out these meetings during National Volunteer Month in April will also help raise awareness and recruit the mentors we need to serve as role models for our cadets.”
Mentors may have a one-to-one match where they would be expected to meet with a cadet on a consistent basis throughout their post residential phase. Mentors also have the option to join a “Pool of Mentors” allowing the freedom to connect with a variety of cadets through scheduled Teams meetings and community-based events.
Mentors will participate in KSCA-led training sessions during the residential phase to ensure they are fully prepared for their critical role.
To serve as a mentor, volunteers must be 21 or older, pass all state and federal level background checks and may not live inside the same household as the cadet. Extended family members are allowed to become mentors.
The KSCA provides Pennsylvania teens an opportunity to achieve the self-discipline, education, and skills necessary to succeed through an engaging, safe, and structured residential experience. Cadets will be guided to improve their academic standing and increase their potential for future employment or further their education.
The opening of the academy at Fort Indiantown Gap (FTIG) in Lebanon County in July 2022 formally established the National Guard Bureau’s Youth ChalleNGe Program in Pennsylvania.
The program is open to 16- to 18-year-old Pennsylvania residents. Applicants must be willing to be drug free, free of felony convictions, and voluntarily attend the program. The program lasts for 17 months, with the first five months consisting of residential training at FTIG followed by one year of mentorship back in the community.
The KSCA is a joint effort between the National Guard Bureau and the DMVA in consultation with the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
For more information on how you can make a difference in a young person’s life in as little as four hours per month, visit www.dmva.pa.gov/KeystoneStateChallengeAcademy/Mentorship.
