NC Guard's Tarheel Challenge Academy graduation

CLINTON, N.C. - The 136 cadets of the North Carolina National Guard's Tarheel Challenge Academy marched down the aisle at the Sampson County Agri-Exposition Center, in Clinton, North Carolina, Dec. 12, 2014, completing a journey began at the academy campus in Salemburg, North Carolina.

This not very quick but tough, hard challenge started 22 weeks ago with a residential military-style school with equal parts discipline, service, duty and education. Perhaps the prayer led by a now graduate of the academy puts it best, "Thank you for this second chance."

The cadets earned this chance by more than 8,500 hours of service to the community. They volunteered at a local senior living center, food bank, the Adopt a Road program, state park conservation, disaster preparedness, other civic organizations and the Special Olympics.

"We will remember this for rest of our lives," said Zachary R.M. Jessie, academic honor graduate during the graduation ceremony.

The commencement speaker thanked the packed house of hundreds of friends, family, mentors and volunteers there to support the graduates.

"These people here did what they did because they see something in you," said retired NCNG Brig. Gen. Games R. Gorham, special assistant to the secretary of the N.C. Department of Public Safety.

The academy is for at-risk male and female youth, ages 16-18, who have dropped out of school or are having difficulty being successful in a traditional school environment. After graduation, the youth join a one-year post-residential mentoring program.

"Take what you have learned here and do something with it," said Gorham.