By CAROLYN CARY
ccary@TheCitizenNews.com

Fayetteville Cadet Douglas Smith was one of three cadets at the Georgia Youth Challenge Academy chosen for its Citizenship Trophy.

Awarded a trip to Washington, D.C., Smith, along with Airman 1st Class Nicole Posey and Cadet Jonathan Workman, represented the Fort Stewart-based Youth Challenge program in receiving the trophy on behalf of the Class XIII of the YCA, which is near Augusta.

It was given in recognition of the unusual program, which created a greater understanding of and appreciation for individual citizen rights and responsibilities.

The cadets also were exposed to specialized academic curricula on citizenship.

In Bill Shipp's weekly newsletter, May 15, 2000, he stated that of the 2,000 graduates of the academy, 94 percent of them took civilian jobs, entered vocational school or college and 16 percent enlisted in the military. The program accepts about 200 students for each of its cycles, which begin in January and July. It is, Shipp quotes, “Georgia's best-kept secret.”

Smith is the son of Jim and Deb Smith, Fayetteville, and the grandson of Douglas and Retta R. Dennis, Fayetteville, and Erwin and Vera Smith, Wilmington, N.C.