Rookie Racing Star Tyler Reddick to Team Up with National Guard Youth Foundation as Spokesperson

DAYTONA, Fla., Feb. 21, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Driver of the No. 19 Brad Keselowski Racing (BKR) Ford F-150 Tyler Reddick has teamed up with the National Guard Youth Foundation as an official spokesperson to help raise awareness about the dropout epidemic and a proven program that gives dropouts a second chance – the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program.

"It's great to see the commitments made by these cadets. They've determined on their own that they must apply themselves to a goal and see it through to be successful. Staying focused, remaining committed and hard work is what will get them to the finish line," said Reddick. "The things they'll learn in the ChalleNGe program will help them to succeed in life. I'm so excited to be a part of the National Guard Youth Foundation."

"Far too many kids are dropping out of school, leaving them with little opportunity for success," said Gen. Craig McKinley, USAF (Ret.), Chairman of the National Guard Youth Foundation Board of Directors. "Tyler will help the Foundation raise awareness about the Youth ChalleNGe Program, which gives these kids an opportunity to turn their lives around."

Reddick is a rising star with five rookie of the year awards and over 120 career wins. He is the youngest driver to ever win a Lucas Oil Winter Nationals race, a win he secured at age 15. Reddick will work with the National Guard Youth Foundation to help raise awareness by making personal appearances and public service announcements.

The ChalleNGe Program is a 17-month comprehensive, evidence-based program that offers adolescents between the ages of 16 and 18 who have dropped out of school the opportunity to attain their high school diploma or GED while learning the life skills, coping skills and leadership skills necessary to succeed. The National Guard Bureau currently operates 35 programs in 27 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, DC. More than 120,000 students have graduated from ChalleNGe.

About the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program
Nearly 1 in 4 students in the U.S. leaves school before graduating. Helping more than 120,000 teens to date across the country turn their lives around, ChalleNGe – a 17-month voluntary education and workforce development program that culminates in high school graduation or attainment of a GED – is recognized as among the most cost-effective, highly rated programs of its kind for at-risk youth.

• An independent, multi-year study of the ChalleNGe by MRDC shows that high school diploma/GED attainment increase 29 percent, college attendance by 86 percent and annual earnings by 20 percent.
• An independent cost-benefit analysis by the RAND Corporation shows a 166 percent return on investment in ChalleNGe – every dollar spent yielding a return of $2.66 in benefits to society.

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.  The Foundation's mission is to advocate for and support ChalleNGe, run by the National Guard, and to provide ChalleNGe graduates with scholarships and career support to help them continue on their path of success.

SOURCE National Guard Youth Foundation