National Guard program helps Las Vegas teen turn pain into accomplishment

By Hillary Davis (contact)

Monday July 1, 2024 | 2 a.m

Ayla Lain struggled with parental abandonment, depression and medical issues throughout her life before attempting suicide last year. She was only 16 years old.

She then discovered the Battle Born Youth ChalleNGe Academy, a residential program for at-risk teens sponsored by the Nevada National Guard. It was there, in a barracks outside of Elko, that she managed to navigate adversity, tragedy and pain.

“I was going down a really bad path,” said Lain, a Las Vegas native who last month won the program's best director award for excellence.

She said she was late for school, drinking and abusing drugs. She was constantly angry. Last fall, she intentionally overdosed on pills, stopped breathing and nearly died. She was in a coma for days.

Lain said she didn't know at the time that she hated herself. But after a five-month stay in a mental institution, then a semester at the academy, she refined her self-awareness.

“Ayla was angry for years,” said her grandmother and guardian, Joy DePasquale. “Nothing I could do or say could make things better. »

Lain said her parents were often away and when she lived with them they were in no condition to live. Her father was a violent drug addict and her biological mother and stepfather were violent, she said. Additionally, she underwent several surgeries as a child to correct a limb difference that required the removal of the bone in one leg, which was three and a half inches longer than the other.

Although her grandmother chose to adopt her as a baby, their relationship was difficult. Lain said she told him she hated her, even though she didn't, because she needed to take her anger out on someone.

While in rehab at a mental health center, she was able to overcome much of her trauma, she said. When she arrived at the academy, she moved toward acceptance.

“I've had a lot of time to think and I've become aware of some things,” she said.

Lain and DePasquale share their deeply personal story because they want other people who are suffering to find solutions.

“Something definitely needed me to be here,” Lain said. “I think I found out why.”

This mission is to show that help is possible, she said, and that no one is alone, even if they want to be.

DePasquale first heard about the Battle Born Youth Challenge Academy, or BBYCA, during a conversation with a friend.

“I said it was for Ayla,” she said. “She will accept it, or she will die.” »

She kissed him.

Lain said she was conflicted when she arrived at the academy. She wasn't used to structure. When staff yelled at her, she responded. But she said she didn't want to go back to her old ways.

Later, a program counselor asked Lain to work with two fellow cadets who were struggling. DePasquale said it healthily channeled his preference for control.

“It gave her a better sense of herself and what she can accomplish,” she said.

DePasquale said his granddaughter is smart and capable, but Lain's growth has exceeded his expectations.

Eventually, Lain was appointed commander of the cadet company and oversaw all of her peers.

She also made up several missing credits in high school and moved from a D to an A. She completed the program on June 14 and is on track to graduate from high school next year through Delta Online Academy. After that, she wants to travel the world and then go to college to fulfill her childhood dream of becoming a veterinarian.

BBYCA Director Andre Ponder said Lain stood out among this spring's class of 45 cadets.

“Cadet Lain displayed the most personal growth this semester despite all the obstacles she had to overcome on her journey to personal development,” he said in a statement.

Potential BBYCA cadets must be between the ages of 16 and 18. They must be behind in their academic credits, willing to be drug-free, and not be on parole or probation, charged with or accused of a felony, or convicted of a felony or any offense that would be a felony if charged as an adult. The program is voluntary.

BBYCA directly awards a high school diploma or helps cadets return to their hometown schools. The program includes physical training and community service in addition to academics. These youth academies operate under the auspices of the National Guard in 31 states.

“It’s for people who are willing to work for change,” Lain said.

She worked for it.

Prospective cadets must attend a program presentation and participate in an interview before being considered for acceptance. For more information, visit www.battlebornyouthchallenge.org.

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