Welcome to New Castle Schools at the Hoosier Youth Challenge Academy!

We are proud to educate cadets from all over the state of Indiana and beyond at the historic Soldiers and Sailors Children’s Home in Knightstown, IN. Our education staff are committed to providing the highest education during cadets’ residential phase while at HYCA. Whether pursuing a high school diploma or high school equivalency, our teachers have demonstrated success in helping cadets achieve their academic and personal goals.

New Castle Schools at HYCA embraces the quasi-military model in our classrooms to set high standards for academic achievement, classroom behavior, and preparation for life beyond high school. Our teachers deliver a rigid and purposeful curriculum designed to accelerate cadets’ learning. Many cadets are able to catch up on high school credits, earn their high school diplomas, or earn their high school equivalency!

We are excited to work with cadets to achieve their academic goals and prepare them for their next phase in life.

Dr. Grant Fulton

Principal, New Castle Schools at HYCA

What is HYCA, the Hoosier Youth ChalleNGe Academy?

The Hoosier Youth ChalleNGe Academy was developed to change the life path of young men and women between the ages of 16 and 18 who have dropped out of high school or are severely deficient in credits. By using structure and discipline, HYCA students can graduate high school empowered to embrace responsibility, achievement, and positive behavior. Instilling confidence, the HYCA program fosters ambition and increases a student's employment opportunities upon completion of the program. HYCA emphasizes eight Core Components in its foundation: citizenship, academic excellence, life-coping skills, service to community, health and hygiene, skills training, leadership/followership and physical training. HYCA is a 17 ½ month, two phase, quasi-military training academy, with the first 5 ½ months of the program referred to as the Residential Phase in which Cadets live at the HYCA campus in Knightstown, Indiana. New Castle High School has partnered with HYCA, and serves the Academy with live (in-person) academic instruction, and a supplemental online instruction program called Edmentum.