CAMP MINDEN — More than 200 Louisiana Army National Guard Youth Challenge Program cadets participated in family day Saturday.

The Louisiana National Guard Youth Challenge Program cadets participated in a marching competition on Family Day Saturday to show their parents the discipline and some of the lessons they have learned over the last 11 weeks at Camp Minden. Michelle Bates/Press-Herald
The Louisiana National Guard Youth Challenge Program cadets participated in a marching competition on Family Day Saturday to show their parents the discipline and some of the lessons they have learned over the last 11 weeks at Camp Minden. Michelle Bates/Press-Herald

The formal pass in review ceremony is a timeless military tradition and is usually conducted by professional soldiers during a change of command. However, during family day, YCP cadets organized, managed and led the ceremony without any assistance from staff members. The ceremony took place at the field in front of the main building. It demonstrated the skills and discipline the cadets learned while enrolled in the program.

Louisiana National Guard Youth Challenge Program cadets prepare for their march during Family Day Saturday. With six platoons, each platoon displayed their marching skills, adding their own flavor to the march. All marches were cadet led. Michelle Bates/Press-Herald
Louisiana National Guard Youth Challenge Program cadets prepare for their march during Family Day Saturday. With six platoons, each platoon displayed their marching skills, adding their own flavor to the march. All marches were cadet led. Michelle Bates/Press-Herald

At the completion of the ceremony, cadets were allowed to spend time with their families on the field behind the assembly hall. More than 2,000 family members and friends attended to see their cadet graduate.

“Family Day is a great time of encouragement for the cadets and their families,” CPT.

Parents support the cadets, take photos and videos of the marching competition. Following the competition, cadets were allowed to spend the afternoon with their families.
Parents support the cadets, take photos and videos of the marching competition. Following the competition, cadets were allowed to spend the afternoon with their families.

Jason Montgomery, director of YCP at Camp Minden said before the ceremony Saturday. “It is an opportunity to see the progress the kids have made in the program so far, and is a special time of fellowship for the families and friends.”

The mission of the Louisiana National Guard Youth Challenge Program is to intervene in and reclaim the lives of 16-18 year old adolescents, producing program graduates with the values, life skills, education and self-discipline necessary in order to succeed as productive citizens.

The Youth Challenge Program offers young people an opportunity to improve their lives through participation in an innovative, alternative school and is administered to participants at no cost. All needs, such as meals, bedding, classroom instruction, and uniforms are provided free of charge.

This award-winning program has been recognized as one of the nation’s most effective and cost efficient programs for targeting at-risk youth.

Since 1994, more than 100,000 cadets have graduated nationwide with more than 19,100 from Louisiana. Typically, Louisiana graduates approximately 1,400 teens a year from three locations: Camp Beauregard near Alexandria, Camp Minden and The Gillis W. Long Center near Baton Rouge. More than 80 percent of teens that graduate this two-phase program go on to further their education, join the workforce or enlist into the military.