Students representing more than 5,000 at-risk youth who have joined the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program (NGYCP) met with Members of Congress on March 3 to share their stories of success and second chances. Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of USA Freedom Corps Desiree T. Sayle delivered remarks on the importance of volunteering and was joined by John Salley, 14-year NBA veteran and talk show host, who is serving as an NGYCP National Spokesperson, and Kelly Perdew, a West Point graduate and entrepreneur who was recently selected by Donald Trump as the winner of the hit show, "The Apprentice," in highlighting the NGYCP.

In addition to her remarks, Director Sayle presented the President's Volunteer Service Award to Chief Master Sergeant USN (ret.) James Perry of Chesapeake, Virginia. Mr. Perry is the Youth Minister at Mt. Lebanon Missionary Baptist Church, Chesapeake, VA where he administers the Churches mentoring programs. During his career in the Navy, Mr. Perry assisted with the Special Olympics as project officer at various locations across the country and worked with youth with the Navy’s in-school mentoring programs. After retiring from the Navy, Mr. Perry continued his commitment to youth by working with local schools in the Hampton Roads area. In the last twelve months alone he has volunteered over one hundred hours as a mentor. Mr. Perry has volunteered as a mentor with the ChalleNGe program since October 2004.

Also presented with the President's Volunteer Service Award was Nevada Jennings of Virginia Beach, Virginia. Ms. Jennings has served with the Commonwealth ChalleNGe program since August of 2001 and volunteer mentors a cadet whose program goals were to enroll in college and to become independent from foster care. With Ms. Jennings' help and currently in the 8th month of the post residential phase, her cadet now has full time employment and an apartment.

The National Guard ChalleNGe Program, a preventive rather than remedial youth-at-risk program, targets participants who are unemployed, drug-free and law-free high-school dropouts, 16 to 18 years of age. Core components of the program are citizenship, academic excellence (GED/high school diploma attainment), life-coping skills, community service, health and hygiene, skills training, leadership/followership, and physical training. The five-month Residential Phase, which includes the Pre-ChalleNGe Phase, is followed by a year-long mentoring relationship with a specially trained member from each youth's community. For more information on the National Guard ChalleNGe Program, please visit www.ngycp.org.

Through USA Freedom Corps, President Bush wants to help every American answer the Call to Service by strengthening and expanding service opportunities. Interested volunteers can find available service opportunities in their communities at www.usafreedomcorps.gov or by calling 1-877-USA-CORPS. For information designed to show elementary and middle school students how they can start making a difference by volunteering, visit www.usafreedomcorpskids.gov.

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