FORT DIX, NJ - On Saturday, February 16, the 15th class of cadets will graduate from the New Jersey National Guard ChalleNGe Youth Program. The ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. at the New Jersey War Memorial, West Lafayette and Barrack Streets, Trenton, New Jersey. Francis S. Cole, Program Manager, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Youth Services and Job Corps, Region I New York, will be the keynote speaker at the event. Retired Colonel John Promaulayko, Commandant of New Jersey's ChalleNGe Youth Program, will host the ceremony.
Cole, a native of Piscataway, N.J. who returned to the city to raise his family, served on the management team of several corporations prior to becoming part of Job Corps. He started as a vocational instructor at the Edison Job Corps Center, Edison, N.J., later being promoted to vocational manager before moving to the Regional Office in 1998.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Management and Education from Johnson and Wales University, Providence, R.I., and is pursuing concurrent Masters and Doctorate degrees from Ashcroft University in London, England.

Cole is also busy with two other endeavors in the New Jersey community. He has been appointed to the board of Directors for Elijah's Promise. This New Brunswick, N.J., organization is comprised of a soup kitchen, culinary training school and catering business. Second, Cole has established Hallelujah University, an online learning university, for the First Baptist Church of Woodbridge, N.J.

The New Jersey ChalleNGe Youth Program is run by the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and is staffed primarily by the New Jersey National Guard. ChalleNGe is a 22 week co-ed residential program which affords N.J. high school dropouts the opportunity to earn a GED diploma, get valuable job training, and perform community service projects while in a structured, disciplined environment. The program is designed to give "at risk" youth a second chance to get their lives back on track and become productive, wage earning citizens. Unlike "boot camp," ChalleNGe is voluntary and applicants are carefully screened. All participants must be 16-18 years old, drug free, not on parole or probation, New Jersey residents, and United States citizens. The next ChalleNGe class is scheduled to begin in April 2002. Applications are now being accepted.

Many of the graduating cadets will have earned their G.E.D. (high school equivalency diploma) and some will be going on to college or entering military service - which requires a high school diploma. Each cadet will also have earned an educational stipend which can be used to further their education or assist in additional vocational training.

For applications or more information on the New Jersey National Guard ChalleNGe Youth Program, please call the Commandant's Office at 609-562-0571. A roster of the graduates and their hometowns is below. The media is invited to attend the ceremony.
 

Michael Adams, Camden Carlos Aguirre, Bayonne Guillermo Arriola, Elizabeth Solomon Artis, Newark Saul Balbuena, Jersey City Daniel Becker, Aberdeen Jose Berdecia, Jersey City Sean Bermudez, Kearny Jose Bernard, Vineland Tariq Bligen, Teaneck Anthony Bock, National Park Gregory Boylston, East Brunswick Tyeshia Braithwaite, Union Stephanie Burrison, Lakewood Taariq Carnegie, Plainfield Bernoldy Chrispin, North Bergen Bernard Collier, Camden Malikah Cooke, Jackson Carlos Correa, Bayonne Alexis Cortes, Rahway Tommy De Cicco, Barnegat Alvaros De Jesus, Jersey City Monserrate Diaz, Elizabeth Kerry Dunn, Pittsgrove Jazmin Echandy, Elizabeth Randy Edge, Newark Alexis Fabian, Elizabeth Leon Fields, East Orange

Johnny Garcia, Englewood Brian Genk, Waterford Rick Gerken, Forked River Lyndsay Giberson, Brick Miguel Gomez, Paulsboro Carlos Groves, Jersey City Victor Guzman, Newark Carlos Guzman, East Orange William Hall, Toms River Shakemia Harris, Jersey City Andre Haskins, Hillside Ayana Hawley, Elizabeth Jeffrey Heller, Moorestown John Hood, East Orange Christopher Ilg, Linden Ashley Irribarren, Paterson Mathew Jeffers, Pitman Clarence Jefferson, Woodbury Ryan Jones, Waterford Works Ricardo Jordan, Paterson Maria Karasina, Basking Ridge Marquis Knight, Florence Michael Krops, Bayonne Anisah Lavine, Bloomfield Luis Lopez, Jr., North Bergen James Mack, Jr., Plainfield Cyntay Matthews, Willingboro Michael McLeary, Pine Hill Bobby Mejia, Newark

Taswaiyah Miller, East Orange Ronald Moore, Jersey City Mikal Muhammad, Piscataway Keith Nauer, Towaco Jessica Norman, Brick Enrique Nugent, Irvington Jose Padilla, Jr., Elizabeth Julius Perez, Landisville Stephanie Perez, Swedesboro Michael Piechowski, Barnegat Nicole Piechowski, Barnegat Jocelyn Proano, Clifton Diara Reeves, Piscataway Todd Robertson, Parlin Jeffrey Rogers, West Trenton Jimmy Schnitzer, Newark Emory Scipio, East Orange Neil Scott, Delran Joseph Szymczak, Monroe Shawn Tamanini, Northfield William Thomas, Lakewood Rashad Thomas, East Orange Michael Tkacs, Blackwood James Tomasello, Egg Harbor Eric Toth, Hazlet Danita Watson, Lindenwold Quadir Whitaker, Freehold Nelson Whitted, somerset Kyle Woodson, Willingboro