BUTTE — A student of the Montana Youth Challenge Academy in Dillon died on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, according to a news release from the Montana National Guard.
The name of the student has not been released at this point.
An investigation is underway, and Guard officials said they would not release any details at this time.
"As a father, my heart breaks for this young person's family and all who loved them," said Brigadier General Trent Gibson, the adjutant general of Montana. "After 26 years with the Montana Youth Challenge Academy, including serving as the former director, I know firsthand how much the staff care for every cadet who walks through the door. This is a close community bound together by a shared commitment to helping young people. This loss is felt throughout the academy and across the Montana National Guard family."
The Youth Challenge Academy is a free program for people ages 16 to 18 to learn skills to prepare to enter the National Guard.
According to the academy's website, the current class has 54 students who are expected to graduate June 20.
The academy was launched in 1999 and has graduated 4,300 people, according to the website.
The academy operates on the campus of the University of Montana Western in Dillon.
