Every young person lives in a unique set of circumstances. Families are not so perfect. Illness and deaths happen. Money and basic love are often lacking. And some schools do not fit some children. It can feel like a square-peg-round-hole thing. Of course we know that children are not cans of food, nor cookie cutter products, that we produce after twelve years of schooling. Rather, our children are gifted people to whom we owe honor and respect - even when society, a culture, the family, or our neighborhoods let them down. We've got to catch the children who are falling. The National Guard Youth ChalleNGe (NGYC) is a program for children who are at-risk and in danger. From an inept school system to hard-working families whose homes are adultless more often than not, to drug-induced habits and love-needy children becoming pregnant, tens of thousands of our youth are in trouble. There is no one solution. Schools cannot raise our children and 9 out of 100 families cannot raise their own children very well either. What can we do? There are solutions and some of them out of the norm. Ten years ago, the National Guard established a peace-time community outreach called Youth ChalleNGe (YC) to meet the needs of almost 10 % of our children: high school drop-outs. This program is out of the box successful!
About the Author: LINDA LEE RATTO, Ed.M., is an educator with decades of experience in the field. She has served as a classroom instructor, principal, corporate CEO, co-founder of a learning system, private school organizer, and guest professor. Ratto has authored two counseling books on disabilities for families and professionals. She also has written for the Atlanta Journal Constitution, covering topics such as the Paralympic Games and wellness.She has written 15 books, both fiction and nonfiction. www.LindaLeeRatto.com PHOTOGRAPHER IAN ROBERT MARI, is a New York Institute of Photography Graduate (NYI) and founder of PhotoMari with offices in Atlanta and London. He is a professional Paralympic and Olympic photographer with awarding winning photos published in the Best of Photography Annual '95, '96, '97, '99 & 2000. Mr. Mari has photographed young people of all ages for more than a decade. His other fortes include on-site photography of live entertainment, weddings, sporting events, and safari locations. He has photographed the Atlanta Steeplechase and equestrian Championships in Europe. www.PhotoMari.com