EVANSTON — Wyoming Cowboy Challenge Academy Public Relations Specialist April Corwin addressed the Evanston City Council during its work session on Jan. 8. Corwin is responsible for visiting six counties in Wyoming, traveling to each at least every other week.  

Wyoming Cowboy Challenge Academy (WCCA) is Wyoming’s only no-cost residential program for non-traditional learners. Corwin said the academy serves young men and women, ages 16 to 18, and provides them with the skills to become productive and responsible citizens. WCCA is a quasi-military environment and is operated under the oversight of the Wyoming Military Department. 

Corwin said it is 75 percent federally funded and 25 percent state funded, and they have 40 programs nationwide that are part of the National Guard Bureau’s Youth Challenge Program, which was founded in 1993, and has graduated more than 150,000 participants nationwide.  

The WCCA program opened its doors in Guernsey in 2006 and has graduated more than 1,000 cadets. Students come from referrals from school districts, police departments, family services, and counselors. Young people from other states can enroll in Wyoming if their state does not have a program. They must be a U.S. citizen and have no felony convictions and must be committed to improving their lives. The motto of the program is “The Courage to Change.”

“Evanston students who have been in the program have done very well,” Corwin said. “The student ratio is about one-third female and we have 120 beds with 100 of those filled now. We take students right up to the last minute, so there is still time to enroll in the January program.” 

WCCA has two classes per year, one begins in January and the second in July. There are two phases to the program. One is the residential phase, where students live on campus under strict military-like discipline for five and a half months with no outside family connections except for email or phone calls on Sundays. They cannot bring a personal cellphone or an iPad. They are permitted one home visit after a little over three months if they choose.

Corwin said they learn leadership development, discipline and academics. They can earn a HISEC (formerly GED) or high school credits to transfer back to school, learn job skills, participate in community service and more.  

The second phase is post-residential, where participants are matched with a mentor of their choice and have the opportunity to test their learned skills. WCCA works closely with the Wyoming Contractors Association to help graduating cadets become employed. Corwin said the program boasts a high success rate with graduating cadets pursuing careers in the military, enrolling in college, joining Job Corps or becoming successfully employed.

Corwin handed out brochures with contact information (307) 836-7500, (307) 836-7525 and the web address: wyocowboychalleng.org, the email address – wcca@wyo.gov and Facebook.com/wyocca. She encouraged those present to make referrals if they know of students who qualify.

Evanston Mayor Kent Williams thanked Corwin for her presentation and then added a last item for a later discussion.  

“Dennis Boal and I met this morning with Union Tank Car,” Williams said. “They want to use property at the rail center for expanding their business. They now have 150 employees and are doing well. We will be discussing a future six-month lease agreement with them.”

Evanston Parks and Recreation District Director Scott Ehlers announced that a superintendent for Purple Sage Golf Course had been hired and is moving here from Connecticut soon.