FORT MCCOY, Wis. (WMTV) – Madison teen David McBride turned to the Wisconsin National Guard Challenge Academy after too much screen time distracted his learning during the pandemic.
Cadet McBride said increased phone use caused too many distractions and that it contributed to his grades slipping. He and his mother decided to enroll in the challenge academy because the state and federally funded program uses military tactics to motivate young people struggling to follow a schedule.
McBride said he was not forced to attend the program at Fort McCoy near Tomah, Wisconsin.
”It has to be the kid’s choice,” he said. “Because you want to be able to get used to where you’re going to be going for the next five-and-a-half months. I felt like it would be a nice place to try something new.”
Wisconsin National Guard Challenge Academy team leader Matt Wood said people sometimes mistake the academy as a military feeder school.
”It’s not about the military or about being in the military,” Wood said. “It’s about being a successful citizen within your local community. A lot of what we teach here is foundational to that.”
Cadets are required to live in barracks under 24/7 supervision, keep their living spaces clean and compact, participate in physical training and they cannot use their cellphones.
”You get used to it,” McBride said. “To be honest I don’t really miss my phone.”
”We’re holding them to standards and deadlines so they can instill the idea of, ‘Hey I can do this. I can meet goals. I can meet deadlines,’’’ Wood said.
He also said the rules mean to motivate candidates, not persuade them to join the military.
”You can leave here and be a chef,” Wood said. “You’re still going to need discipline. You’re still going to need courage. You’re still going to need time management skills. You’re going to need all of those character development skills that you get here regardless of which direction you go in life.”
McBride said the rules make it easier for cadets to achieve their goals after they graduate from the program in June.
”Cause if you’re feeling down and you feel like you want to leave you’ll always have that one cadet where the whole platoon they’ll fill it in [the blank] and say, ‘You should stay because of this.’ And they’ll put a reason out and you’re like, ‘That’s my I’ve got to stay,’’’ he said. “And you’ll stay.”
McBride plans to pursue a career as a barber.
The WI Challenge Academy is a free program that is accepting applications for new cadets who would start at the end of July.
Applicants need to be a Wisconsin resident.
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