Sunburst Youth Academy is an outstanding school that has a high quality program that offers a detailed curriculum to support youth. This academy provides the opportunity to learn so many different skills to provide teens with the knowledge and give them a chance to succeed in life. The school is managed professionally and very strategic with intent to provide students the necessary training, tools, discipline, skills, and community that can help a child thrive. The leadership, teachers, military personnel, and staff all contribute to the success and growth of the students. The program is challenging at times yet rewarding in many ways as you get back what your teen puts into the program. For the parents it might feel like a long process but it's part of the enrollment and this helps to insure the school has everything they need to support your teen while they stay at the academy, so just follow through with what is needed from you and ask for help if you don't understand something they are very helpful. The students are given everything in this school to do well and succeed they just have to put in the work and they will do fine. The staff try to make learning fun and they do a fantastic job building a sense of confidence and pride by the way they shape community and celebrate accomplishments. Sunburst Youth Academy was a unique opportunity for my child to learn so much and transform his life. My teen graduated with class 35 and I have been able to see a positive change and progress in my teen's academics, they are now able to handle and managing problems better, developed personal discipline, they care for their physical health, they are more responsible, and they have goals for the future. The program also offer classes online or in person for the parents to support them along the way and to give them information on how to help their teens. I would highly recommend this school due to the program being excellent and one of the best. My family felt well cared for and respected by all the staff that works with the academy. A special thank you to the teachers, military members, program staff, volunteers and donors for helping to make Sunburst Youth Academy an extraordinary school. read more

Outstanding Academy. Did wonders for the kid and others. . .....................................................................

My son went to SYA (Sunburst Youth Academy) in 2020. He started the program in January 2020 as a student that was struggling in school; behind in high school graduation credits, his grades were D's & F's only, he had a difficult time motivating himself to get up every morning & be at school on time, hung out with a group of not so great kids that influenced him in a not so good way. My son has always been a good kid with okay grades (Mostly b's and c's) but he always lacked the motivation to take control of his academics to do better. By the time he was 16 we were fighting daily. His grades were all F's just before he went to Sunburst, he was on an attendance contract & we were at each other's throats everyday. I cried hundreds of times & felt I was losing my son. I felt hopeless...until I found SYA. SYA is a quasi military academy in Los Alamitos, CA run by the National Guards Youth Challenge Program. It's a total of 17 month program where students between the ages of 16-18 live on base for 5 1/2 months learning and living the military life style & go to school, then return home & are followed for 12 months post Academy graduation to ensure they are staying on track & graduate high school. Students that attend SYA are expected to earn 65 credits in the 5 1/2 months they live there which is about the maximum earned credits in a full year of a regular school. SYA partners with Orange County Unified School District & they have a high school of their own on base. Oh & SYA is on base at the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos. Students are given a highly structured environment, build relationships with their teachers, Cadre (Military Guard staff of SYA), & student peers. They learn about themselves, who they want to be, to never give up, study skills, relationships, to be a learner and a leader, develop the confidence they need, learn to wash/iron their own clothes, cleanup after themselves, team building, learn that nothing in life is given to them & they need to earn it, community outreach, structure, hygiene, dangers of drugs & alcohol, friends, learn about honor, doing the right thing isn't always easy and soooo much more that I can't even put it all down here. My son returned home making his bed every morning, was respectful towards me/others, called everyone by sir or ma'am, kept his room tidy, helped out around the house, did his chores without complaining or me asking, woke up early doing physical fitness training daily, and with a 3.8 gpa. My son loved his time at SYA, loved his Cadre & his teachers. The SYA staff really grow close to the students. They are with them & and supervise them 24hrs a day. So your child is in really good hands, cared for & safe with them. They have their own Medic team on site specifically designated to SYA cadets. My son got a great education there, better than any other school he's attended & graduated SYA with academic excellency awards. Now he's very serious when it comes to his education, grades, gpa & going to college. He wants to go to Mt. Sac for their Fire Science program. He's still a straight "A" student & even during online distance learning through these trying times. To get into SYA students must meet the requirements: be between the ages of 16-18 by intake day, behind in HS credits/in danger of not graduating HS, a Southern California resident, student (not just parent) must want to voluntarily attend the program. That's so they succeed...you can't help someone that doesn't want to be helped. The application process is tough and lengthy but don't let that stop you from giving your child a 2nd chance to turn their life around. Website below will guide You step by step to apply & getting in all required documents in. It's free to attend SYA by scholarship, funded by the State & Fed. Get your required documents in ASAP otherwise your child may not get in On time & you'll have to apply all over again for the next class. They have limited availability especially now due to Covid & it's 1st come 1st serve as far as whomever gets everything completed & turned in on time. Classes are 2 x a year: January & in July. Application process can take time and it's tough but all worth it in the end. I really enjoyed writing my son letters (that's the only way you communicate with your child) as it helped bring us closer, getting his earned 5 minute monthly phone calls & following along with his class/platoon on IG @iamsunburst when they uploaded videos of the class/platoons progress. I'm very thankful to SYA. They really did help my son that wanted it, to change his life around & be the best that he could be. I have a much much better relationship with my son now and I'm so proud of him! Best experience ever. Website - https://www.sunburstadmissions.com/ YouTube Channel - https://youtube.com/c/Sunburstyouthacademy Instagram Page - https://instagram.com/iamsunburst?utm_medium=copy_link read more

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My son, not "my friend's kid", attends SYA and has transformed from an at risk, troubled 16 year old who was hanging out with the wrong kids, smoking, using drugs, and possessed very low self-esteem, to a strong, self confident, focused, happy young man. His grades were never an issue but his attitude, self control, angry outbursts and life choices were most certainly an issue. He has developed coping skills that help him control his mouth and his angry responses to triggering stimuli. His 1:1 counseling was an immense help in developing insight into why he makes decisions and how to make better ones. The cadre are supportive and are there 100% for the kids. The cadre serve as mentors and models for what discipline should look like for the cadets. The boosters are separate from the SYA staff. They raise money through the sale of tee shirts, pictures, buttons, and popcorn. If you cannot or do not participate in fund raising, it's fine. There is some pressure but if you are an adult and possess a spine then you can deal with saying no if you cannot afford it or do not care to buy. If there's an issue with money there is a financial aid program. There's no need to "feel pressure" to buy anything. If you want your troubled youth to develop better learning habits, discover self esteem, and develop into a functional member of society, and identify a path outside of drugs, gangs, and failure then SYA is the place you want to send your youth. The cadre, school's staff, and counseling staff cares about them and their success. Ultimately, your kid's success is up to your child and what you as the parent are willing to devote to their future. read more

Anyone who can't handle this program is a wuss. It's not that bad. Yeah the first few days suck but you get use to it. Remember nobody sent you here you wanted to come here to help yourself. Thankyou sunburst for helping me open my eyes. #class7chargers HEAVYHIITTTTTEERS!! read more

My son was going to attend last summer July 2022. We had to go to their "role call" several times on a Saturday prior to beginning the "5 months boarding" school. They EMAILED me 3 days prior to beginning this journey to let us know that they changed their mind!! PARENTS BE AWARE THAT THIS ESTABLISHMENT has refused to accept my son based on a prior childhood assessment of my kid experiencing Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD) during elementary school. So on the last role call Saturday event, my son let them know he had a fractured ankle but they STILL singled him out of the group of boys to run! He refused because he was not completely healed and since he chose not to wear his boot on this day, visually he appeared normal. THEY WERE TESTING HIM to see if he was being defiant!! Can you believe that? Afterwards, I spoke with the Sargeant, he explained to me that, last semester Winter 2021-22 they experienced another student with ODD and told me that it was difficult to manage and they wanted to see if my son was too difficult to handle too! THEY WANTED MY SON TO RUN AROUND THE FIELD WITH A FRACTURED ANKLE! That was the test he failed. Three days before he was really motivated and enthusiastic, this was a pivotal time in my son's life! He got rejected by a wrong assessment, it was too late for summer school now....I know that this is a military run school but these are young teenagers, hoping to get help. They all have to want to come here not by force. We had began the prior year and my son wasn't ready then in Winter of 2020-21. And we went through another season of rigorous preparation. I had purchased over $500 worth of supplies including $100 postage stamps to stay in touch through mail with my son! (They don't allow phone calls except on special earned occasions or once a month.) So having this experience with SUNBURST ACADEMY was such a disappointment and made me wonder if this was the best place for my son. BTW-I grew up on an American military base in Japan for over ten years. I went to a Department of Defense (DOD) school all my life. So, I have experience in military based run school system. Hindsight, be careful of what you put on that application if you're interested to apply here! They do not like kids who have had problems and whether 99% of the reviews are good, I beg to differ the status quo. read more

It is not a good place to rehabilitate yourself but if u are going for a different reason. Get ready to be punished and treated unfairly, you do get more credits than a regular school but it's insanely tough boring and stressful ASF you get yelled at and inspected daily, there's no privacy and they take away clothes, food, hygiene and personal time as punishment. Are credits really worth six long months of BS? The people that run the program and staff are very rude unfair and mistreat cadets for cadets to be in worse situations or emotions. They might give u the opportunity to work on the main mission but it's hard to focus on yourself when there's so much BS in the program and the other cadets that can either make or break the course for you because of the bad influences and gang affiliation in the platoons that can trigger and bring you back into bad habits or situations and make you have connections worse than when u started. read more

Sunburst is an AWESOME program! I highly recommend it. I have watched several friend's children... And now my godson complete this program. These kids graduate with a renewed confidence, self esteem, skills, and education. The staff and teachers are truly dedicated and care for the students. read more

nothing is life is perfect, but this place changed my life. Your kid has to be of strong character to make it through life irregardless of their surroundings. Change starts from within by the choices we make and expands forward externally, rather they be good or bad. If your kid WANTS to CHANGE then this is the place they can thrive & if not. Then they will just link up with people who are like minded in rebellious nature and continue to suck. Choices are our own to make, we as humans are the masters of our own destinies. 60 credits is sweet gig. read more

I was in Class 13. About 7, 8 years ago. I'm glad this is still available for anyone wanting to get back on their feet. They do give you everything you need to succeed. Everything is done for you, all you need to do is follow orders, follow the schedule, stay out of trouble, and have a strong will. It will suck, you will hate certain days, but the memories and friends you make. What I would do to relive and experience it all one more time. Sgt Edwards if you're still here, thank you for everything. read more

This is not a rehabilitation program. It's a Youth Academy. Sunburst not only brought out the best in me, but gave me so many opportunities to further my career and life choices. You are exposed to bad influences but when in life are you not? At sunburst, you learn to cope with the difficult hand life has given you. You learn that you have more options other than the military or college. This program opens you up to so many different experiences. Yes, it will be difficult. But the cadre and staff, as tough as they are, care about you and your success. So hang in there. - Cadet Guzman, Class of 21, Wolfpack. read more

The program only exposed my friends kid to worse influences. Theres gang members that come to this program from all different cities and theres many fights that break out at sunburst youth academy. The staff is not strict enough because the kids do not care. the kids are more concerned about getting kicked out than the staff. the counseling that they have for anger management does not do anything to help with their anger issues, but instead teaches them more anger. im not sure if they have group counseling or individual counseling but my friends kid has so much more anger that the kid punches holes in walls and doors. the kid is so much worse than when the kid first came in. the kid talks back to mom. the kid uses a lot of foul language. the kid is extremely disrespectful towards the family. on top of that the kid now wants to dress like a gangster from seeing all the other gang members that also attended sunburst youth academy. its literally worse. now i hear that kid is gone for days from home. whats weird is that the kid graduated sunburst youth academy and all i can think of is how is this possible? anyway, all they want to do is have the parents fundraise selling popcorn and force them to buy souvenir sweaters and tshirt and squeeze money out of peoples friends and families. i heard that my friend was forced to buy a bunch of red white blue bracelets and she forgot them at home and they forced her to buy new ones. unfortunately i do NOT recommend this program to any parents. sad to say it doesnt work. when you have a child that is completely out of control youre best bet is counseling for your child. maybe even spending more time with your child doing volunteering work helping your local community. but if your child doesnt even want to do that, pray to the Lord youre God your Savior. read more