EDUCATING IDAHO’S YOUTH: More than 120 Idaho high school students graduated this weekend from the Idaho Youth ChalleNGe Academy (IDYCA). The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) program provides second chances to teens who are on the verge of dropping out of high school or who already have. The academy is a voluntary program established in most U.S. states. Here in Idaho, the program removes at-risk students from their current environment, placing them in the small town of Pierce for 22 weeks with peers going through similar challenges. Following graduation, cadets return to their Idaho communities to finish high school or chase career goals through job corps, education, the U.S. Military and much more. “I always explain to the cadets that education is something that can never be taken away from you,” said IDYCA principal, Jim Hill. “This graduating class has earned a 3.4 GPA average, that is going from a D plus to a B plus. This class has earned 99 percent of the credits possible, whi...