1 00:00:00,009 --> 00:00:01,953 High school is usually a place for 2 00:00:01,953 --> 00:00:03,898 young minds to find themselves and 3 00:00:03,898 --> 00:00:06,065 eventually they graduate and go off to 4 00:00:06,065 --> 00:00:08,065 college , join the military or even 5 00:00:08,065 --> 00:00:10,287 pick up a trade . But for one reason or 6 00:00:10,287 --> 00:00:12,453 another , unfortunately , not everyone 7 00:00:12,453 --> 00:00:14,676 gets to graduate from high school , but 8 00:00:14,676 --> 00:00:16,565 that's where free State Challenge 9 00:00:16,565 --> 00:00:18,731 Academy comes into play . It's a quasi 10 00:00:18,731 --> 00:00:20,731 military uh environment that allows 11 00:00:20,731 --> 00:00:23,030 them to really adapt , have the time 12 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:25,262 and the discipline and the structure to 13 00:00:25,262 --> 00:00:27,318 be able to uh continue on with their 14 00:00:27,318 --> 00:00:29,373 studies so that they can get ahead , 15 00:00:29,373 --> 00:00:31,040 they can get focused and even 16 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:33,207 individual uh educational goals can be 17 00:00:33,207 --> 00:00:35,318 reached . Achieving those educational 18 00:00:35,318 --> 00:00:37,540 and professional goals became more of a 19 00:00:37,540 --> 00:00:39,540 reality for the class , 61 cadets , 20 00:00:39,540 --> 00:00:41,429 many of whom walked away from the 21 00:00:41,429 --> 00:00:43,651 graduation ceremony with GED diplomas , 22 00:00:43,651 --> 00:00:45,818 college scholarships and potential job 23 00:00:45,818 --> 00:00:48,360 placements . We all have our were 24 00:00:48,419 --> 00:00:51,240 making us . I'm actually gonna join the 25 00:00:51,250 --> 00:00:53,250 army . I'm gonna be in school for 26 00:00:53,259 --> 00:00:55,426 social work . Um I'm probably gonna do 27 00:00:55,426 --> 00:00:57,648 a little bit of public speaking , maybe 28 00:00:57,648 --> 00:01:01,060 help kids and pursuing their dreams 29 00:01:01,069 --> 00:01:03,125 because it was really hard for me to 30 00:01:03,125 --> 00:01:05,236 pursue my own dreams because I didn't 31 00:01:05,236 --> 00:01:05,150 know what I wanted to do I was very 32 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:07,510 much a follower and to be a Zach Free 33 00:01:07,519 --> 00:01:09,575 State taught me how to be a leader . 34 00:01:09,575 --> 00:01:11,852 Being a leader can be a difficult task . 35 00:01:11,852 --> 00:01:13,797 But when you have a strong support 36 00:01:13,797 --> 00:01:15,741 system , getting through the tough 37 00:01:15,741 --> 00:01:17,741 times becomes a lot easier . I love 38 00:01:17,741 --> 00:01:19,797 them all . They always guided me the 39 00:01:19,797 --> 00:01:21,797 right way . Even if it was right or 40 00:01:21,797 --> 00:01:21,230 wrong , they always told me what was 41 00:01:21,239 --> 00:01:23,440 right from wrong , everything . No , 42 00:01:23,599 --> 00:01:25,766 they always kept my head up being told 43 00:01:25,766 --> 00:01:27,599 right from wrong by the cadre is 44 00:01:27,599 --> 00:01:29,766 something the cadets experienced a lot 45 00:01:29,766 --> 00:01:31,766 of while in the 22 week residential 46 00:01:31,766 --> 00:01:33,932 program , you know , because you spend 47 00:01:33,932 --> 00:01:35,988 so much time , you spend five months 48 00:01:35,988 --> 00:01:38,099 with them day in and day out . Um You 49 00:01:38,099 --> 00:01:40,260 see uh their heartbreaks , you see 50 00:01:40,269 --> 00:01:42,491 their , they're laughing , you see them 51 00:01:42,491 --> 00:01:44,436 sad , you see them angry , you see 52 00:01:44,436 --> 00:01:46,602 every different side of them , right ? 53 00:01:46,602 --> 00:01:48,713 Uh But you're there , you're there to 54 00:01:48,713 --> 00:01:50,713 pick them up , you're there to push 55 00:01:50,713 --> 00:01:52,713 them to that finish line . Um So it 56 00:01:52,713 --> 00:01:54,936 almost feels like they're my kids , you 57 00:01:54,936 --> 00:01:56,991 know , walking across that stage and 58 00:01:56,991 --> 00:01:58,991 I'm genuinely proud for them and of 59 00:01:58,991 --> 00:02:01,213 them and you can bet your bottom dollar 60 00:02:01,213 --> 00:02:03,213 that the Maryland National Guard is 61 00:02:03,213 --> 00:02:05,325 proud of these cadets too . Reporting 62 00:02:05,325 --> 00:02:07,436 for the Maryland National Guard . I'm 63 00:02:07,436 --> 00:02:07,410 staff Sergeant , Chaz Kipler .