KINGWOOD, WV (LOOTPRESS) – The West Virginia National Guard’s Mountaineer ChalleNGe Academy – North program continues to advance and mold young lives, as 101 cadets of Class 2-2023 graduated on Dec. 15 from their campus at Camp Dawson in Kingwood, West Virginia.
“The dedication, devotion, pride, and confidence these cadets have developed and demonstrated over the past 22 weeks exemplifies the best attributes of leadership, personal courage, and commitment,” stated Maj. Gen. Bill Crane, the Adjutant General of West Virginia.
“It’s always an honor for our One Guard family to celebrate the accomplishments of our next generation of West Virginians who will no doubt make an incredible impact on our state and nation in the future.”
Class 2-2023 North had 66 cadets, or 65 percent, graduating the program with a high school diploma.
Of those graduating, 39 percent (39 cadets) plan to join the workforce, 6 percent (6 cadets) plan to join the military, 39 percent (40 cadets) plan to attend a vocational/technical program and 2 percent (3 cadets) plan to go onto a four-year college program.
Fourteen percent of the class (14 cadets) plan to participate in the Mountaineer Job ChalleNGe Program after graduation.
This class represents 30 different counties throughout the Mountain State, with Kanawha county having the highest enrollment for the course with 16 cadets.
Throughout the 22-week program, cadets provided more than 4,632 hours of community service through 47 different projects, a recognized value of more than $147,300.00.