SPRINGFIELD, IL - Today, State Senator Michael Frerichs (D-Champaign) visited the Lincoln ChalleNGe Academy with Representative Bill Black (R-Danville), Senator Pamela Althoff (R-Crystal Lake), and Senator John Sullivan (D-Rushville). The legislators took a tour of the facility and met with some of the cadets. The Lincoln's ChalleNGe Academy gives high school dropouts from around the state a voluntary 22-week course that develops life skills and discipline through a program based on a military model.

"This academy accepts kids from all over the state and helps them turn their lives around," said Senator Frerichs. "We need to make funding Lincoln's ChalleNGe Academy a state priority because it is an asset not only for Rantoul, but for the whole state."

Governor Blagojevich's proposed budget decreases state funding for Lincoln's ChalleNGe Academy through the Department of Military Affairs. Funding for Lincoln's ChalleNGe Academy has stayed level for the past few years.

"It was very important that the state legislators came to Lincoln's Challenge Academy to see how we are caring for and educating our state's at risk youth," said Sgt. Major Peter Thomas. "They needed to see our infrastructure needs firsthand so they can make decisions on how we can improve our facilities. We have stairwells that need to be fixed. We have insulation, carpeting, and lighting that need to be replaced. None of this can be done without assistance from the state."

Appropriations for Lincoln's ChalleNGe Academy will be discussed this week in the Appropriations III Committee hearing on Thursday, March 13th at 9 am in 212 Capitol. Senator Sullivan is the Vice-Chair of the Committee and Senator Althoff is the Minority Spokesperson.

"It is amazing what this program has accomplished with the amount of funds that they receive," said Senator Frerichs. "Providing this first-hand look to members of the Senate Appropriations III Committee is just the beginning in my efforts to secure funding for the Academy."