The Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction recognized the Washington Youth Academy as an Innovative School. The recognition stated:
"Washington Youth Academy, Bremerton School District
Grade level: 10 to 12
Year school began to implement innovative practices: 2009
The Washington Youth Academy (WYA) is a National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program focusing on academic intervention and credit recovery and is the only publicly-funded, military-style academy in the state. The WYA structure empowers youth to improve their educational level, employment potential and become responsible and productive citizens. WYA serves youth from every county in Washington. The program is a 17½ month residential and post residential program for 16 - 18 year-old students who have or are at-risk of dropping out of high school.
During the 22 week Residential Phase youth (cadets) live on campus and engage in both classroom and experiential learning based on the Core Component Curriculum. This holistic approach to education, including the interlaced mentoring program, enables cadets to create and modify a set of goals for themselves called the Post-Residential Action Plan (P-RAP). With the help of volunteer mentors from their hometown communities and the P-RAP, cadets return to their communities in the Post-Residential Phase to pursue the goals they have set. Staff monitor the mentoring relationships and track the progress of alumni as they return to high school, go on to college/vocational training, and/or initiate their career goals through full time employment. Other unique features of the school include:
"Washington Youth Academy, Bremerton School District
Grade level: 10 to 12
Year school began to implement innovative practices: 2009
The Washington Youth Academy (WYA) is a National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program focusing on academic intervention and credit recovery and is the only publicly-funded, military-style academy in the state. The WYA structure empowers youth to improve their educational level, employment potential and become responsible and productive citizens. WYA serves youth from every county in Washington. The program is a 17½ month residential and post residential program for 16 - 18 year-old students who have or are at-risk of dropping out of high school.
During the 22 week Residential Phase youth (cadets) live on campus and engage in both classroom and experiential learning based on the Core Component Curriculum. This holistic approach to education, including the interlaced mentoring program, enables cadets to create and modify a set of goals for themselves called the Post-Residential Action Plan (P-RAP). With the help of volunteer mentors from their hometown communities and the P-RAP, cadets return to their communities in the Post-Residential Phase to pursue the goals they have set. Staff monitor the mentoring relationships and track the progress of alumni as they return to high school, go on to college/vocational training, and/or initiate their career goals through full time employment. Other unique features of the school include:
- Gender separated classes of 25 or less.
- No distractions, such as TV, cell phones, ipods.
- Recreational reading material and movies are screened for educational value.
- Highly disciplined environment (march between classes, cadre presence, degrees of discipline structure, high standards, and expectations)."
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