Hrvoje Grbanovic of Palmetto

recently graduated in December from the Georgia National Guard's

Youth Challenge Academy located at Fort Stewart. Corley was among more

than 140 formerly at-risk Georgia teens to graduate from the 22-week,

in-residence youth development program.

Since its beginning in 1993,

Georgia's Youth Challenge Academy has graduated more than 2,500 youth

from across the state. The National Guard operates two Youth Challenge

Academy campuses, one at Fort Stewart and the second campus at Fort Gordon

near Augusta.

Youth Challenge is designed

to help high school dropouts, ages 16-18, to complete necessary requirements

to obtain a GED or high school diploma. Many YCA graduates move on to

attend technical schools or college or enlist in the armed forces.�Others

return to their hometowns with valuable life skills and resources that

help to secure employment.

Brigadier General Joel Seymour,

Commander of the 600-member Georgia State Defense Force was the commencement

speaker for the Youth Challenge graduation ceremony.

For additional information

about the National Guard sponsored Youth Challenge Academy, contact Youth

Challenge Academy at (912) 767-4015.