Pages
Stay In Touch
More
© 2013 KentuckyGuard
John Bond, aka “Coach Bond” has been a driving not just for the athletes on his team, but for all of the cadets at the Appalachian Challenge Academy in Harlan. (Photo courtesy Appalachian Challenge Academy)
Story by David Altom, Kentucky National Guard Public Affairs
HARLAN, Ky. — The Appalachian Challenge Academy has established itself as a force to be reckoned with since opening its doors in Harlan only a couple of years ago. Hundreds of cadets have graduated the 22-week program thus far, some going back to high school with a path toward college or vocational-technical schools, others getting jobs or joining up with the military.
And while the cadets are certainly due credit for their own success, let’s face facts: all the desire and determination in the world is in vain without the proper guidance; it takes teachers and mentors to set the example and point young people in the right direction.
Better known as “Coach Bond,” John Bond brought his skills from decades of teaching in the public schools to teaching and mentoring cadets at the Appalachian Challenge Academy in Harlan. (Photo courtesy Appalachian Challenge Academy)
One such mentor is John Bond, better known in Harlan County as “Coach Bond.” A graduate of the University of Kentucky and English teacher/girls basketball coach from Cumberland High School, Bond couldn’t just go home when it came time to retire. Rather than settle down, he took on a new role as a language arts and history teacher at the ACA.
“The Appalachian Challenge Academy means a lot to this area,” said Bond. “It takes kids that have fallen off the path to success and disappeared, and brings them back into a classroom to build confidence in them. It is all about a second or third chance to succeed.”
In coaching, everyone has different strengths and weaknesses. This is the same with teaching. Cadets enter the Academy in the same way, and we have to coach them to prepare them for the GED. Teaching them to try their best and to work hard toward a goal also helps prepare them for life after the Academy.
First, they have to want the help. That is the most important thing, that they are willing to accept the help we can offer. Second, they have to have aspirations, to want better things in life. Sometimes they do not develop these goals until we get a hold of them. Third, they have to accept that in life everything does not always work out like you plan and things change so they have to be able to adapt.
Better known as “Coach Bond,” John Bond brought his skills from decades of teaching in the public schools to teaching and mentoring cadets at the Appalachian Challenge Academy in Harlan. (Photo courtesy Appalachian Challenge Academy)
The biggest boundary is raising cadet confidence levels, and getting them to buy into hard work to understand that they are the ones who have to help themselves,” said Bond. “You can teach anyone if they have the right attitude.”
Bond cites the example of a cadet who came to the academy unused to working hard. “He thought he didn’t have to put forth an effort to get an education. He was well mannered, courteous, and always willing to help but needed focus. We finally got him settled and on the right track. He recently called to inform us that he completed his high school equivalency test and plans to attend college for welding and computer science. That is a huge success to me that he did not give up after graduating from the Academy. I expect him to continue his growth and become a successful adult.”
Bond’s reputation with the academy staff is a measurement of his success.
“Coach Bond has a passion about him that catches the young men and women’s attention, especially when he teaches or coaches,” said Master Sgt. Tonia Henry. “He pulls out each person’s special trait and helps them to develop it. He never gives up or quits on a person, and he does not allow you to give up or quit on yourself.”
“Coach Bond has a big and caring heart for the cadets here at the academy,” said 1st Sgt. Lee. “He told me he wished he could help all of the cadets get a good start in life by helping them get on the right path. He is always trying to encourage our cadets to do their best.”
Ryan French, ACA Instructor had high praise for this coach turned teacher. “Coach Bond is a man that despite his infancy in Youth Challenge, is a wealth of knowledge to all that graces his presence. From his professional insight to his vast wisdom on everyday life matters, Coach Bond is an motivation to every cadet and colleague that he is around.”
Kentucky Youth ChalleNGe is designed to help youth, ages 16-18, get a jump start on life. The 22-week credit recovery program is geared toward completing a high school diploma as well as physical fitness, leadership and community awareness projects. The program has been around for nearly 20 years. More than 100,000 cadets have graduated from the program nation-wide.
For more information on Appalachian Challenge Academy contact Josh Coldiron, 606-574-0303 or 855-596-4927 or email joshua.m.coldiron.nfg@mail.mil or brittany.t.blair.nfg@mail.mil
Story by Staff Sgt. Scott Raymond, Kentucky National Guard Public Affairs
Spc. Timothy Smith with the 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry hands a case of water to Anne Cockley, a Red Cross volunteer at Green Hills Elementary School in Bledsoe, Ky., Feb. 24, 2015. The Soldiers assisted with water deliveries throughout Harlan County in response to a water shortage caused by a recent winter storm. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Scott Raymond)
HARLAN, Ky. — More than 100 Kentucky Guardsmen were activated this week to assist local communities following a devastating winter storm.
Snowfall totals in excess of two feet along with bitterly cold temperatures pushed counties in Eastern and Southern Kentucky to the brink. With 93 of Kentucky’s 120 counties declaring emergencies, Gov. Steve Beshear issued a state of emergency Feb. 16, opening the door for the Guard to assist.
Soldiers with the 201st Engineer Battalion helped clear more than 70 miles of roads in Lee County alone. Trucks from the 138th Field Artillery Brigade and 149th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade moved palletized water from Louisville to staging areas.
Spc. James Harmon with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry helps guide a pallet of water into a vehicle for distribution in Harlan, Ky., Feb. 24, 2015. The Guardsmen were able to supply distribution points across Harlan County to get the water closer to those in need. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Scott Raymond)
In Harlan County, Soldiers with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry transported pallets of water to distribution points throughout the county following water system failures.
“We have the equipment to do the job,” said Staff Sgt. Terry Brock with Alpha Co. “We’ve been delivering water, clearing roads, shoveling driveways, helping people get to doctors, just helping out wherever we can.”
Brock, who lives in Harlan County, even had to deliver water to his own family on one of the unit’s runs. “It was good to help them out and to be in a spot to help out the whole county of Harlan too.”
Visit our flickr site for more photos.
Frozen lines and pump failures knocked out the water to an estimated 45,000 households in Eastern Kentucky. Together with the snow, the rural mountain communities were impacted much worse than other parts of the state.
Harlan County Judge Executive Dan Mosley said he has requested a lot of local and state resources throughout this process and finds it encouraging to find so many willing to help.
“The Guard has helped us out in a big way,” he said. “We would not have been able to set up so many distribution points if it wasn’t for the National Guard, the Red Cross and Operation UNITE. There would be a lot of people without water in their homes if it wasn’t for the Kentucky National Guard units doing what they’re doing here.”
Soldiers with the 201st Engineer Battalion work to remove snow from a road in Lee County, Ky., Feb. 19, 2015. The unit cleared more than 70 miles of snow following the winter storm that impacted much of Kentucky. (Photo courtesy of 201st Engineer Battalion)
According to Spc. James Harmon with Alpha Co., the unit was responsible for the delivery of more than 7,000 gallons of water. In coordination with the Red Cross, the Guardsmen supplied designated distribution points that were closer for citizens to pick up the water. Each run became similar to a wellness check as the Citizen-Soldiers recognized familiar faces and were able to judge the situation based upon the words of their own friends and locals they knew.
“I grew up here in Harlan, it’s a great community of people,” said Harmon. “I just helped deliver water to my old elementary school in Bledsoe. It’s why I enjoy being a part of the National Guard. We serve our Nation, but are also here to help our neighbors get back on their feet.”
Soldiers in the are also provided transportation assistance to emergency personnel, ensuring doctors, nurses and health care staff made it to work.
With more than 30 vehicles in use across the Commonwealth, the Guardsmen are expected to continue each mission through the week.
Check out some video of the Harlan County response mission below:
The Kentucky National Guard’s Youth ChalleNGe is a 22-week program designed to help at-risk youth get a jump start on life. With two academies in Kentucky — the Bluegrass ChalleNGe Academy at Fort Knox and the Appalachian ChalleNGe Academy in Harlan — the curriculum covers extensive academic studies geared toward completing a high school diploma as well as physical fitness, leadership and community awareness projects.
Following is commentary from USMC Tara Ratterree, a graduate of the Appalachian ChalleNGe Academy’s inaugural class ….
United States Marine Tara Ratterree is a graduate of the Appalachian ChalleNGe Academy’s 2012 inaugural class. (Photo courtesy Appalachian ChalleNGe Academy)
HARLAN, Ky. — Before I heard about the Appalachian ChalleNGe Academy, I was at an alternative school. I wasn’t the best student growing up. I had been pushed out of my original high school, for many reasons. I had been told I was a problem child, that I would never amount to anything, and I would end up like my siblings. My grades weren’t the best while in high school. My credits were at the junior level when I was supposed to be a senior. When I was first informed about the Appalachian ChalleNGe Academy by my principal, I was all for it.
The only time I ever felt good at anything was in JROTC. I knew it was right for me so I went.While at the Appalachian ChalleNGe Academy, I learned self reliance out of everything. I realized you can’t just hope for the best without doing anything.
While at the Appalachian ChalleNGe Academy I worked to get noticed. I was put in Color guard, Special DNC Platoon, I was chosen to go to the capital for the congress meeting, I was chose to tour Maj. Gen. Edward W. Tonini and guests around the Appalachian ChalleNGe Academy for the first time and received a General Officer Coin, I was in student council, I was awarded the physical fitness award for my platoon, and most likely to go into the military. Best of all I earned the amount of credits needed for me to graduate high school. The Appalachian ChalleNGe Academy can change anyone, but only if they put out effort. If they just let everyone else carry them to the end then they will never change. It’s all what you put into it. I worked hard at the academy and it paid off in the end.
Cadets Tara Ratterree (left) and Laura Huff talk with Kentucky Adjutant General Edward W. Tonini on the Appalachian ChalleNGe Academy campus. (Photo courtesy Appalachian ChalleNGe Academy)
The day after graduation I enlisted In the United States Marine Corps. I wanted a running start to my future. I shipped out to boot camp to Parris Island, South Carolina on February 25th, 2013. Boot camp is a lot different than the Ap-palachian ChalleNGe Academy. What I learned from the Appalachian ChalleNGe Academy helped me through it. Learning to be a team, core values, physical fitness, dealing with home-sickness and learning to push yourself even when times seem the hardest. I always knew I wanted to join the military even before the Appalachian ChalleNGe Academy, but I don’t think I would have ever done it if I never at-tended the Appalachian ChalleNGe Academy. They gave me the confidence I needed to go forward.
Like father, like daughter — Tara Ratterree and her father, former Marine Jerry Ratterree. (Photo courtesy Appalachian ChalleNGe Academy)
Not only did I learn a lot from the Appalachian ChalleNGe Academy but I also learned from the staff and cadre. They’re some amazing individuals. They let me know I could do anything. Without them the Appalachian ChalleNGe Academy is nothing. I just came back from visiting the Acad-emy and it has changed a lot. Upgraded more than anything, it’s a great feeling though knowing I was there where the new cadets are now. It shows anyone can do it. Not just going to the military either, go to college, or get a job. Excel from what you were doing before. It’s possible even from where I was. That’s coming pretty far. I feel I owe the Appalachian ChalleNGe Academy for everything they’ve done for me.
There were good times and bad times at the Academy. There were times I just wanted to quit and go home. There are things I wish I could change or could have done better but I’m still glad they happened because I’d prefer to learn from it and not do it again. Through everything that happened at the Appalachian ChalleNGe Academy I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.
My name is Tara Ratterree and I will always be a 3rd Platoon Gladiator.
Story by David Altom, Kentucky National Guard Public Affairs
Click here for more photos and info on the Kentucky National Guard Youth Challenge Program
Appalachian Challenge Academy cadets during a visit to the state capitol building in Frankfort. (Photo by Will Daniels, Appalachian Challenge Academy)
HARLAN, Ky. — Harlan native Josh Coldiron has been named the director of the Kentucky National Guard’s Appalachian Challenge Academy.
“I am honored to be a part of the Appalachian Challenge Academy,” said Josh Coldiron, the new director of Appalachia Challenge Academy. “We will continue to work hard to provide this incredible opportunity for the youth of our region.” (Photo by Will Daniels, Appalachian Challenge Academy)
Sponsored by the Kentucky National Guard and administered by the Department of Military Affairs, the Appalachian Challenge Academy’s mission is to train and mentor selected at-risk youth between the ages of 16 and 18, and to help them become contributing members of society. Over the course of the 22 week residential phase cadets work daily towards earning a GED or earning credits to return and rejoin their high school class. They also complete a minimum of 40 hours of community service, and take part in many local events.
“I am honored to be a part of the Appalachian Challenge Academy,” said Coldiron. “Our program’s mission is to train and mentor selected youth to become contributing members of society. We will continue to work hard to provide this incredible opportunity for the youth of our region.”
There are currently 68 cadets currently enrolled in the Harlan program. A second academy with 91 cadets is located at Fort Knox. The program is more than 15 years old and has seen 2,274 graduates pass through its doors.
Cadets at the Appalachian Challenge Academy take part in a flag ceremony in Harlan. (photo by Capt. Stephen Martin, Kentucky National Guard Public Affairs)
“Josh has shown himself to be the right person at the right time for the right job,” said Major General Edward W. Tonini, Adjutant General for Kentucky. “Since coming on staff he’s shown that he’s got the energy, creativity, dedication and experience needed to run this very important program. I look forward to seeing what the future brings the Appalachian Challenge Academy under his guidance.”
Coldiron began his career with the Department of Military Affairs on October 16, 2011 as the assistant director of the Appalachian Challenge Academy where he provided administrative support services to the director and technical management assistance to organizational units within the division.
Coldiron is a graduate of Harlan High School and Eastern Kentucky University where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in History. Coldiron began his career with Kentucky State Government on February 1, 2002 with the Department of Corrections as a Probation & Parole Officer. During his time there he maintained an average caseload of 160 clients; served as Class D Coordinator for Harlan County Detention Center; he monitored court-ordered financial obligations; composed Pre-sentence Investigations and Supervision reports; and he provided testimony in Circuit Court Hearings and Parole Revocation Hearings.
The current classes are scheduled to graduate in June. Recruiting for the next semester is now under way.
For more information on the Kentucky National Guard’s Youth Challenge Program and how to enroll, call 1-855-KY-NGYCP (1-855-596-4927).
Story and photos by Capt. Stephen Martin, Kentucky National Guard Public Affairs
Maj. Gen. Edward W. Tonini, Adjutant General of Kentucky met with U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers at the Appalachian ChalleNGe Academy to encourage the at-risk youth involved in the program, in Harlan, Ky. Nov. 1st (photo by Capt. Stephen Martin, Kentucky National Guard Public Affairs)
HARLAN, Ky. — “It’s easily one of the hardest and, at the same time, most rewarding jobs on the planet,” according to the Commandant of the Appalachian ChalleNGe Academy, which kicked off its first official year this fall.
To see more photos of the Appalachian ChalleNGe Academy, please click HERE.
U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers and Maj. Gen. Edward W. Tonini, adjutant general for Kentucky, visited the newly launched academy in Harlan, Ky. to see how the students and cadre were progressing Nov. 1.
Both Rogers and Tonini received a one-over-the-world overview from the key leadership on the progress of the organization.
Cadets from the Appalachian ChalleNGe academy in Harlan, Ky., participate in various exercises the first year of the program which launched in July 2012. (Photo by Will Daniels, Network Analyst for the Appalachian ChalleNGe Academy)
“Understanding the dynamics and history of the teenage students here is our biggest challenge,” said the director of the program, Croley Forester.
The academy’s mission is to train and mentor selected at-risk youth between the ages of 16 and 18, to become contributing members of society. Based out of the old schoolhouse in Harlan, it’s a 24 hour a day, 7 day week program. The 68 students currently enrolled eat, sleep, and go to school all in the same building.
Gary Lee, the commandant of the academy and a former Guardsman, has been working for the National Guard youth challenge project for the last six years and sees a lot of potential in this Eastern Kentucky program.
Cadets from the Appalachian ChalleNGe Academy in Harlan, Ky., participate in the military tradition, “Retreat,” where the flag is lowered at the end of the business day Nov. 1st. Maj. Gen. Edward W. Tonini, Adjutant General of Kentucky joined U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers at the Appalachian ChalleNGe Academy to encourage the at-risk youth involved in the program. (photo by Capt. Stephen Martin, Kentucky National Guard Public Affairs)
“My heart is to see lives changed. The goal of this program is to simply do that for these teenagers.”
To get into the academy requires a lengthy application process and is purely volunteer. Once you’re selected, you spend the next 22 weeks working side-by-side with your fellow cadets re-learning how to “do life” according to Lee. After participants graduate, they are enrolled in a one-year mentor program to help with the transition back into the real-world.
Rogers, also a veteran of the National Guard, had these parting words:
“Stick with the program and great things will happen for you. If you don’t, you’ll always regret it.”
If you want to know more about this program, please visit their official website: https://www.ngycp.org/site/state/ky2/
Let us know what you think of the article by commenting below or visiting us at www.facebook.com/kentuckyguard.
