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    Oregon Youth ChalleNGe Program Earns Outstanding Rating in National Inspection

    Oregon Youth ChalleNGe Program Earns Outstanding Rating in National Inspection

    Photo By Maj. Wayne Clyne | Cadets from the Oregon Youth ChalleNGe Program present the colors in the Oregon State...... read more read more

    BEND, OREGON, UNITED STATES

    03.18.2025

    Story by Maj. Wayne Clyne 

    Oregon National Guard Public Affairs Office

    BEND, Ore. — The Oregon Youth ChalleNGe Program (OYCP) has become the first in the nation to receive an "outstanding" rating under new federal evaluation criteria, program director Frank Tallman announced.

    The program, Oregon's only accredited statewide alternative high school, underwent a comprehensive four-day on-site inspection by the National Guard Bureau's (NGB) Youth Programs Division as part of its regular three-year evaluation cycle.

    "This is outstanding recognition to the staff, to the cadets, to the state, to our federal partners — everybody that helps the program had a part of this," Tallman said. "It's a great accomplishment."

    Inspectors evaluated four main areas: operation compliance, operation performance, resource compliance, and resource performance. OYCP received the highest possible overall rating under a new manual implemented last year.

    The program currently serves 161 cadets with 63 staff members. According to Tallman, the most recent class was the program's largest graduating class ever with 165 cadets, and the current class began with a record 191 cadets.

    "Since COVID, we've seen a steady uptick in applications," Tallman said. "We're seeing a bigger need across the state for kids applying to the program."

    While the facility has capacity for up to 240 cadets per class, Tallman noted the program has not seen funding rise at the federal level for the past three years, limiting staff hiring. Despite funding constraints, demand for the program continues to grow across Oregon's 36 counties.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 03.18.2025
    Date Posted: 03.18.2025 18:39
    Story ID: 493177
    Location: BEND, OREGON, US

    Web Views: 40
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN