The Discovery ChalleNGe Academy will conduct a graduation ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday. Dec. 15 at the Bob Hope Theatre in Stockton to recognize the achievement of 130 young men and women who completed the 22-week residential program for at-risk youth.

This is the fourth class to graduate from the military-style program since it opened its doors in January 2017. The Academy is a joint effort of the San Joaquin County Office of Education and the California National Guard. It is one of three National Guard Youth ChalleNGe programs in California. It is open to students from across Northern California and is located at the Sharpe Army Depot in Lathrop.

The Academy offers a highly structured environment that promotes leadership, cooperation, and academic skills while building self-esteem, pride, and confidence. During the program, students earn 65 high school credits and serve at least 40 hours of community service.

Saturday’s graduation ceremony includes cadets who earned enough credits to receive their high school diplomas as well as cadets who will be returning to high school. All cadets will continue in a year-long mentorship program through the Academy.

The Bob Hope Theatre is at 242 E. Main St., Stockton.

For more information about the Discovery ChalleNGe Academy, go to: http://www.sjcoe.org/cosp/challenge.aspx or http://iamdiscovery.org/.

San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) provides educational leadership, resources, and services to support schools throughout the county. For more information, visit www.sjcoe.org.