Idaho Youth ChalleNGe Academy starts 2020 fall semester, with COVID-19 precautions

Last week, Idaho Youth ChalleNGe Academy started the 2020 fall semester, with COVID-19 precautions.

They posted this on their Facebook page:

"Last week, we started the 2020 fall semester of the Idaho Youth Challenge Academy. The health, safety, and well-being of our students is our number one priority and the foundation of our program. We registered 128 students this session, 3 of whom have tested positive for COVID-19. These students were quarantined immediately following their positive test results, and they have subsequently been released to return home with their parents. They will be allowed to return in a future cycle.

We have currently tested 100 students and are in the process of testing the remainder, of which, only three students have tested positive. All staff members have been tested and their results were negative. We test 25 students a day, and receive the results within 24 hours, from SMH-CVH (St. Maries Hospital-Clearwater Valley Hospital) labs.

Strict safety procedures are in place to minimize the risk of spreading COVID-19, and include daily medical screenings and temperature checks of all staff and students. All staff and students wear masks, which are laundered daily. The education building is cleaned/disinfected twice a day and the Orofino Health District is providing guidance to students and staff on proper hygiene techniques. Every student is provided PPE, hand sanitizer and cleaning products.

The risk of exposure to the greater Pierce community by an IDYCA student is extremely low, given the secluded nature of the program. Students remain on campus during the duration of the program, and prior to the start of this semester, we decided to suspend all community outreach projects.

The risk for COVID-19 complications among the IDYCA student age group demographic is particularly low. However, these kids were at particularly high-risk for not completing high school or earning a GED prior to enrolling in the IDYCA. Our program's mission is to provide students, who are at-risk of not graduating high school, a second chance for success. Our goal is to effectively mitigate COVID-19 risks, while providing these kids the second chance they chose and deserve."