About
Discovery ChalleNGe Academy (Discovery Youth ChalleNGe Program) is a 22-week residential, quasi-military style alternative education program where students, called Cadets, take part in workshops and skills training in areas such as coping strategies, job searching, health and hygiene, responsible citizenship, and leadership. Cadets attend classes and workshops on substance abuse, anger management, stress management, team building skills, budgeting, and career readiness and goal planning, and they complete written resumes and employment applications. The program also includes military style PT, running, organized sports, field trips to local sporting events, service activities at places like the Emergency Food Bank or Special Olympics, and presentations and field trips arranged through the National Guard.
• Ages: 16–18 years old
• Schedule: Students attend classes Monday through Friday, except for holidays; the residential session runs for 22 weeks, with two sessions each year beginning in January and July.
• Price: The program is offered free of charge, and the cost of attendance surpasses $22,000 per Cadet.
Discovery ChalleNGe Academy is a five and a half month residential credit recovery program with a quasi-military aspect, organized into a two-week Acclimation Phase followed by a 20-week Challenge Phase, and Cadets are not under any obligation to join the military or the National Guard. Eligibility requirements include being age 16 and not turning 19 before the start of the program, being legal residents of the United States and the State of California (including DACA students), being at risk of dropping out or credit deficient, being free of felony convictions, and being residents of Northern California, and students must enter the program willingly as volunteers. During the academy, students earn 65 high school credits, serve at least 40 hours of community service, and can compete for scholarships, and after successful completion they have access to a Post-Residential Program with adult mentoring described as lasting up to 52 weeks or 24 months.
The Discovery Youth ChalleNGe Program is operated by the California National Guard in partnership with the San Joaquin County Office of Education and is part of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program, which includes 40 sites in 27 states and Puerto Rico. The campus covers 53 acres and includes state-of-the-art classrooms, a gym, and barracks built since 2017, and students with special needs and varied learning abilities have access to resources and trained educators on campus, with behavioral counselors on staff. The program follows a highly structured, quasi-military format with guidelines on grooming, dress code, and respectful behavior, and orientation attendance is mandatory to be eligible to apply. Cadets volunteer many hours during the academy, including at agencies such as the American Cancer Society and Special Olympics, and the program has helped hundreds of students complete their high school education since 2017.
Last updated June 1, 2026.
• Ages: 16–18 years old
• Schedule: Students attend classes Monday through Friday, except for holidays; the residential session runs for 22 weeks, with two sessions each year beginning in January and July.
• Price: The program is offered free of charge, and the cost of attendance surpasses $22,000 per Cadet.
Discovery ChalleNGe Academy is a five and a half month residential credit recovery program with a quasi-military aspect, organized into a two-week Acclimation Phase followed by a 20-week Challenge Phase, and Cadets are not under any obligation to join the military or the National Guard. Eligibility requirements include being age 16 and not turning 19 before the start of the program, being legal residents of the United States and the State of California (including DACA students), being at risk of dropping out or credit deficient, being free of felony convictions, and being residents of Northern California, and students must enter the program willingly as volunteers. During the academy, students earn 65 high school credits, serve at least 40 hours of community service, and can compete for scholarships, and after successful completion they have access to a Post-Residential Program with adult mentoring described as lasting up to 52 weeks or 24 months.
The Discovery Youth ChalleNGe Program is operated by the California National Guard in partnership with the San Joaquin County Office of Education and is part of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program, which includes 40 sites in 27 states and Puerto Rico. The campus covers 53 acres and includes state-of-the-art classrooms, a gym, and barracks built since 2017, and students with special needs and varied learning abilities have access to resources and trained educators on campus, with behavioral counselors on staff. The program follows a highly structured, quasi-military format with guidelines on grooming, dress code, and respectful behavior, and orientation attendance is mandatory to be eligible to apply. Cadets volunteer many hours during the academy, including at agencies such as the American Cancer Society and Special Olympics, and the program has helped hundreds of students complete their high school education since 2017.
Last updated June 1, 2026.
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