The young men and women of the fifth class of the Discovery ChalleNGe Academy will present themselves in a military “pass-in-review” ceremony for family members they have not seen in the 10 weeks since first reporting to the residential program for at-risk teens in January. The Academy Family Day will start at 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 23, at the Dell’Osso Family Farms in Lathrop.

During the formal ceremony, which starts at 10 a.m., cadets in three platoons will perform drills for an audience made up of family members, community supporters of the Academy, and officials from the California National Guard and the San Joaquin County Office of Education.

Offered through the SJCOE and the Cal Guard, the Academy offers a highly structured environment that promotes leadership, cooperation, and academic skills while building self-esteem, pride, and confidence. It is located at the Sharpe Army Depot in Lathrop and open to teens in all of Northern California. It is one of three National Guard Youth ChalleNGe programs in the state.

This is the fifth class of cadets at the academy. They have completed the first 10 weeks of the 22-week residential program. When the formal ceremony is completed, cadets will be reunited with family members to spend time together after weeks apart.

The event on Saturday is slated to run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Dell’Osso Family Farms is at 501 S. Manthey Road, Lathrop. For more information about the Discovery ChalleNGe Academy, go to: http://iamdiscovery.org.

San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) provides educational leadership, resources, and services to support schools throughout the county. SJCOE ensures that every student in San Joaquin County has the opportunity of a quality education. For more information, visit www.sjcoe.org.