The Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) has announced that its Keystone State ChalleNGe Academy (KSCA) is accepting applications for its first session of 2027, which will begin in January. A cornerstone of DMVA's outreach, KSCA seeks to help teens who are in jeopardy of not graduating on time or dropping out of school. The program provides teens with a second chance at obtaining their basic education. KSCA is centered around the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program's core components: leadership, self-discipline, job skills, health and hygiene, values of community service and civic duty, physical fitness, and responsibility to build a better life.

There is no tuition cost to attend, and meals, housing, uniforms, and school supplies are provided at no charge. To meet growing demand for the program, the 2026-27 state budget increased funding for KSCA by $80,000. The December 2025 graduating class was the largest KSCA class to date with 75 graduates, and enrollment is expected to grow to more than 100 cadets in the coming years.

KSCA is open to 16- to 18-year-old Pennsylvania residents who are failing to progress in high school or may not be on a clear path to graduating. Applicants must be willing to be drug free, be free of felony convictions, and voluntarily commit to the program. The program lasts for five and one-half months as a residential phase and 24 months of mentorship by academy staff members back in youths' home communities. Graduates work to receive high school credits, credentials, or a GED. KSCA also is increasing in the number of graduates who earn their diploma through Act 158 legislation that allows for alternative pathways to graduation.

The KSCA conducts two classes a year, one starting in mid-July and the other in mid-January. Applications are accepted throughout the year.

Youths may visit http://www.pa.gov/ksca to confirm their eligibility before completing the full application. Applicants may also request a mailed form by emailing ra-mvpachallenge@pa.gov or calling 717-861-7767 or 717-861-8831.

KSCA is a joint effort between the DMVA and the National Guard Bureau in consultation with the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). 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 National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program currently operates 37 Youth ChalleNGe sites in 29 states and territories. The program is both federally and state funded. To learn more, visit the aforementioned website.