Challenge Academy is saving lives

If you had asked Paul Smith a few months ago what the future held for his stepson, Elijah Rice, he would have responded, “Jail.”

But not anymore. Smith, of Springfield, now proudly says that the 17-year-old will be heading to Lincoln Land Community College soon to prepare for a career as an electrician.

What enabled him to turn his life around is Lincoln’s Challenge Academy, a 17-month program open to high school dropouts from 16 to 19 years of age, reports Theresa Schieffer of Illinois' State Journal-Register.