Isaiah Blake of Sweet Home was among 86 graduates, 47 undergraduates and 39 master’s degree recipients, who graduated Dec. 11 from Northwest Christian University.
Blake is the son of Dr. Alan and Zsuzsanna Blake of Sweet Home.
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Caitlyn Snyder of Sweet Home graduated Dec. 12 with a master of arts degree in teaching from Concordia University in Portland.
Snyder is the daughter of Robert and Candice Snyder. She graduated in 2006 from Sweet Home High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Oregon State University in 2011.
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Lisa Geller of Sweet Home was among 134 graduates from the Oregon National Guard Youth Challenge Program on Dec. 16.
The accredited alternative high school serves all of Oregon and hosted its 50th graduating class this year. The ceremony, held at the Deschutes County Exposition Center in Redmond, marked the completion of the program’s rigorous 5½-month residential phases.
Of the 134 graduates, 12 received high school diplomas and 11 earned GEDs. One hundred and eleven cadets earned enough credits through OYCP to return to their hometown high schools and graduate with their respective classes.
OYCP is one of 35 nationwide National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Programs and has been recognized as one of the premier programs in the country. The OYCP program is free to cadets and their families and has successfully graduated more than 5,400 cadets since its inception in 1994. The voluntary, 17½-month-long program provides youth who are at-risk of not completing their high school education, both male and female, ages 16 to 18, from urban and rural areas of Oregon, with another opportunity to succeed.
OYCP cadets work through a two-phase program, beginning with an intensive 5½-month residential program during which they develop life-coping skills, perform volunteer community service work and attend academic classes. While in the program, cadets continue their education, develop life skills and create a plan, outlining clear and organized steps to keep them along the path of success following graduation. The second phase of the program consists of one year of mentorship. During this phase, cadets receive encouragement and support as they implement their plans to re-enter their home environments.
Details about the Oregon National Guard Youth Challenge Program are available at http://www.oycp.com or by phoning (541) 317-9623.