ESCANABA — This week, an information session regarding a free program for youths is coming to the area.

The Michigan Youth Challenge Academy (MYCA) is hosting an informational session about its program for youths ages 15 and a half to 18. The mandatory session is required to participate in the program.

The session in Escanaba begins at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 10, at Michigan Works!, located at 2950 College Avenue.

The MYCA educates, trains, and mentors youth in a quasi-military environment at no cost to the youth or their families. There is also no obligation for youth to enter the military upon completion.

Established in 1999 as part of the National Guard Youth Program (NGYCP), the MYCA states that, “participants can expect to work hard as they complete the eight core components that are the foundation of our program. In the process, young adults will develop accountability, integrity, teamwork, and time management qualities, and build the grit and resilience necessary to successfully navigate adulthood.”

MYCA Recruiter Jayme Ham said the program looks for youths throughout the state.

“We recruit from all over the State of Michigan. So, we get youths who may just struggle with traditional high school learning, they may be behind on credits, some of our youth just want to graduate early. Some of our other youth are looking to go into the military, so this is a great environment for them to start,” Ham said.

The program allows students to earn a degree while they are in the academy.

“Youths who enter our program who are 16 to 18 years of age can graduate with their high school diplomas from Marshall Public Schools,” she said.

Those aged 15 can also participate, but their experience is slightly different.

According to the MYCA, “a youth who is not yet 16 on day one but will turn 16 before the last day of the cycle is considered 15 and a half years old. Youth aged 15 and a half upon entry may only do credit recovery and must return to high school to finish.”

The curriculum has cadets (students) participate in drill and ceremony formations, meet physical fitness standards, complete community service, and receive classroom instruction.

Ham provided insight into the information session, saying it will cover what life looks like in the program and the benefits of joining.

In addition to education, the program is a chance for youths to focus on themselves without the distractions of the everyday world.

“They don’t have their cell phones while they’re here. There’s no social media. They don’t play games. We focus on the eight core components here,” she said.

The eight core components include academic excellence, health and hygiene, job skills, leadership/follower-ship, life coping skills, physical fitness, responsible citizenship and service to the community.

Upon graduation, there is another program called the Challenge Academy.

“It helps to build upon the success of Michigan Youth Challenge Academy graduates in the areas of job readiness, skills, and retention,” Ham explained.

MYCA graduates may also enroll in the free Michigan Job Challenge Program (MJCP).

The MJCP is an extension of MYCA and focuses on teaching graduates workplace essentials, providing skilled trades training, and aiding in job placement.

Following the completion of the MYCA program, youths transition back home or wherever is next for them. For the next 12 months, MYCA graduates are supported by their mentor and their MYCA case manager to keep them motivated and on track.

Ham reiterated that while the program states it is for at-risk youths, it is for anyone willing to complete it.

“A lot of kids are like, ‘Oh, I don’t want to go to boot camp.’ It’s not boot camp. It’s just quasi-military style. So again, they will get the discipline that is needed, they will get the structure that is needed, and the things that they are taught, things that they go through (and) the things that they learned here in this academy will literally go with them for the remainder of their livelihood,” Ham explained.

Ham said the program is 100 percent voluntary, meaning a youth cannot be forced or court-ordered to participate.

“The youths that come have to be willing to attend the program; they can’t be forced,” she said.

There is an application and vetting process to determine who is eligible for the program.

The best way to determine if you or a youth is eligible for the program is to fill out an application.

If applicants miss the mandatory information session in Escanaba on Oct. 10, they can still sign up for other information sessions going on across the state. The next session in the U.P. is scheduled for Nov. 13 in Sault Ste. Marie.

To learn more about MYCA, find dates for information sessions, or apply, visit www.michigan.gov/myca.