On Sunday, Feb. 19, at 10 a.m., the Trenton War Memorial will host the New Jersey National Guard ChalleNGe Youth Program's 23 rd class graduation ceremonies.  Joe Padilla, Chief of Youth Programs, National Guard Bureau, is scheduled to deliver the Commencement address.

      The 102 cadets, representing more than 60 communities from across the Garden State, will celebrate their graduation from ChalleNGe.

      ChalleNGe provides 16-18 year-old New Jersey residents who did not complete high school a second chance at earning a diploma or qualifying for a GED (Graduate Equivalency Diploma). The program, which is run by the National Guard and is active in 22 states, seeks to identify at-risk teenagers who have dropped out of high school, and gives them the motivation and direction they need to complete their schooling.  Applicants must be New Jersey residents between 16-18 years old, drug-free, and not currently involved in the legal system.

      Cadets participate in a wide variety of activities to include daily physical training, community service and vocational training.   The academic courses emphasize reading, writing, mathematics, computer skills, citizenship and social studies.  Cadets who successfully complete the requirements are eligible to receive a State of New Jersey High School Diploma .

      Following Phase I, the initial 22-week residency phase, cadets are assigned mentors for an additional 12 months to provide continued guidance and direction through a combination of personal visits, e-mails and phone calls.

NJ ChalleNGe Graduates' and their Hometowns

Troy Aderholdt                   Bridgeton

Brian Avalos                       Elizabeth

Steven Baez                      Elizabeth

Geraldo Bedoya                  Linden

Stephanie Beldor                Elizabeth

Cameron Beverly                Willingboro

Hector Botello                    North Bergen

Patrick Bravo                     Guttenberg

Demarr Brown                    North Brunswick

Quadirah Burnett                Newark

Alfred Buttacavoli               Toms River

Long Chau                         Voorhees

William Clarke                     Lakewood

Luis Class                          Bayonne

Louis Cosme                      Camden

Josue Cotton                     Elizabeth

Megan Criscione                 Toms River

Napoleon Cruz                    Newark

Elias Cuevas                      Philadelphia

Ebonni Davis                      Irvington

Jeffrey De La Torre              Elizabeth

Renzo DiPre                       Newark

Keith Dorrman                    Kinnelon

Andre Dunn                       Plainfield

Alejandro Escobar               Atlantic City

Jessica Falcon                   Elizabeth

Angel Feliciano                  Perth Amboy

Allan Feliz                         Bergenfield

Yilver Fernandez                Jersey City

Kevin Fertal                      Blairstown

Chris Fields                       East Orange

Edward Fletcher                Camden

Deshawn Frazier                Irvington

Daphne Gaspard                Roselle

Robert Gaworski                Bayonne

Jacob Gowdy                    Delanco

Michael Hall                      Roselle

Terry Harris                      Ewing

Matthew Hart                   Pennsauken

Lamarr Hillman                  Carteret

Amir Hobbs                        West Orange

Lakecia Holmes                 Irvington

Sean Jennings                  Pittsgrove

Timothy Keefe                  Mays Landing

James Knight                    Hamilton

Nakiyyah Larkin                 East Orange

Krystal Loperena               Linden

Jamil Mackey                   Ewing

Steven Matias                  Yardville

Anthony McCloud             Port Reading

Thomas McDougald           Howell

Saul Mena                       Pleasantville

Frankie Moffett                Camden

Naim Muhammad               Irvington

Jheiner Munoz                  North Bergen

Jheison Munoz                  North Bergen

Kenny Negrin                    Kearny

Fabien Nelson                   West Orange

Joseph Ortiz                     Newark

Cecil Pace                       Trenton

Monique Pacheco             Toms River

Samuel Palmer                 Mt. Laurel

Naisla Pena                      Jersey City

Wilsson Perez                  Vineland

Amariel Perez                  Plainfield

Anthony Pinapfel              Riverside

Jasmine Pittman               Pennsauken

Gregory Polhill                  Orange

Jason Posso                    Elizabeth

Christopher Potts             Willingboro

Jose Ramos                     Atlantic City

Fenny Randiek                 Willingboro

Melvin Rios-Payamps        Jersey City

Ashley Rogers                 Rahway

Mark Ruff                       Burlington

Daniel Sage                     Somerset

David Sajouste                Union

Darin Salley                    Plainfield

Andres Sanchez              Jersey City

Erick Sanchez                 Atlantic City

Joel Sanchez                  Paterson

William Sanders               Williamstown

James Shade                  Lakewood

Brandon Sharkey             Bayonne

Shontel Sherrod              Bordentown

Jessica Spencer              Hillside

Shonae Stevens             Linden

Jazzwal Stuart               Browns Mills

Kenneth Tisch                South Toms River

Jesus Torres                  Jersey City

Angel Torres                  Elizabeth

Giovanni Valencia            Perth Amboy

Luis Valle                      Newark

Juan Vargas                  Newark

Rafael Vasquez              Passaic

Justin Virgil                   Englewood

Dennis Vosbury              Bayonne

Matthew Wilfrid             Elizabeth

Dyneisha Williams           Fords

Maurice Youmans           Linden