DILLON - The investigation continues into the Tuesday tragic death of a cadet at the Montana Youth Challenge Academy on the campus of the University of Montana Western in Dillon.
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“It’s very stressful on everybody, the crew at Youth Challenge, really stressful on them. It’s the first time in 26 years since that program started that they’ve ever had anything like that,” Beaverhead Sheriff David Wendt said Thursday.
The sheriff told MTN News a 17-year-old male from Missoula was found dead at the academy facility. Wendt added that the death is not criminal in nature but would not elaborate on the cause.
Related: Cadet dies at Montana Youth Challenge Academy in Dillon
Many people in the Dillon community are heartbroken by the incident.
“The academy is an amazing program. It was a shock to have something like this happen, but unfortunately it did. And I know they’ve got great support, great staff, and I’m sure they’ll handle this the best possible way it can be handled,” Dillon resident Andrew Cowley.
The academy is designed for 16-to 18-year-olds who are at risk of dropping out of school or have already dropped out. It uses military-style structure and discipline.
Many people have praised the school in recent online comments, but one mother whose daughter attended the academy in 2023 was more critical of the school after hearing the news.
“I was very sad and heartbroken, but I was not surprised. They are very shorthanded, unfortunately, so a lot of things slip through the cracks,” Jeny Gleason, who now lives in Alaska, said.
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The academy says it has more than 50 staff members watching over the 106 cadets, and the facility is monitored by security cameras.
Montana Western says it has a great relationship with the academy and its cadets.
“They do a lot of volunteer services for the community. They help with large events on campus, like our commencement ceremonies. And just seeing the transformation in the lives of the cadets, you know, when they start out and when they graduate (has) just really been inspiring,” Montana Western Director of Communications Matt Raffety said.
This current class is scheduled to graduate on June 20.
