National Guard Youth Foundation Partners with EverFi to Bring Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Training to Cadets of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program

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Sep 22, 2014, 03:44 ET

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 22, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In response to the job market's growing demand for employees with science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills, the National Guard Youth Foundation and EverFi, the leading education technology company focused on teaching, assessing, badging, and certifying students in critical skills, announce the launch of an interactive education initiative that will provide STEM training resources to participants of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program.

According to the U.S. News/Raytheon STEM index, the STEM job market in the United States has grown by more than 30 percent, from 12.8 million STEM jobs in 2000 to 16.8 million in 2013. ChalleNGe, which graduates 9,000 young men and women every year at 35 sites across the country, is a proven program that provides education, skills, guidance and mentorship to help instill a sense of self-esteem, integrity and character in youth who were not succeeding in the traditional classroom setting.

"It is our mission to help these young men and women to find a pathway to success beyond their graduation day from ChalleNGe and to make sure they are ready to meet the growing demands of the workforce," said Louis A. Cabrera, National Guard Youth Foundation President. "This initiative will expose ChalleNGe participants – many, for the first time – to opportunities in the STEM field and will open many doors for them down the road. We are very excited for this partnership with EverFi and look forward to offering it to all the programs in the future."

"Inspiring students to pursue STEM career opportunities during the critical high school years can have a transformative impact on their lives," said Tom Davidson, EverFi Chief Executive Officer. "By extending this program to the thousands of ChalleNGe students across our country, the National Guard Youth Foundation is truly making an investment in addressing the STEM skills gap and preparing its students for the fastest growing global career segment."

This initiative will launch at 10 ChalleNGe sites as a pilot this fall and will expand to all locations in 2015.

About the National Guard Youth Foundation
The National Guard Youth Foundation is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to addressing the nation's school dropout crisis by giving youth a second chance through the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program. NGYF advocates for and supports ChalleNGe, run by the National Guard; raises awareness of the impact that the school dropout crisis has on our society, economy and national security; and provides ChalleNGe graduates with scholarships and career support to help them continue on their path of success. For more information, visit www.ngyf.org.

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About the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program
Conducted at 35 academies across the country, the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program is operated in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Defense, National Guard Bureau, state governments and local sites. The program consists of a 5 1/2-month residential phase framed around eight core components: academic excellence, responsible citizenship, physical fitness, leadership/followership, job skills, service to the community, health and hygiene and life coping skills, and a 12-month post residential phase during which mentors continue to provide guidance and support to graduates.

Helping more than 130,000 teens to date turn their lives around, ChalleNGe is recognized as among the most cost-effective, highly rated programs of its kind for youth who have dropped out of school.

An independent, multi-year study of the program by MDRC shows that high school diploma/ GED attainment increased by 29%; college attendance increased by 86% and annual earnings increased by 20%.
An independent cost-benefit analysis by the RAND Corporation shows a 166% return on investment in the program – every dollar spent yielded a return of $2.66 in benefits to society.

About EverFi
EverFi, Inc. is the education technology innovator that empowers learners with the skills that prepare them to be successful in life. With backing from some of technology's most innovative leaders including Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, Google Chairman Eric Schmidt, and Twitter founder Evan Williams, EverFi has built the most comprehensive critical skills platform focused on Financial Education, Digital Citizenship, Cyberbullying, STEM Readiness, Entrepreneurship, Alcohol Abuse and Sexual Assault Awareness. The EverFi Education Network is powered by over 1,000 partner organizations across all 50 states and Canada and has certified over 7 million students. Learn more at www.everfi.com.

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SOURCE National Guard Youth Foundation