CONTACT: Vlad Kulchitski
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Feb 27, 2007

CHALLENGE CHAMPIONS GALA HONORS FORMER PRESIDENT GEORGE H.W. BUSH, DEPUTY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE GORDON ENGLAND AND SENATOR SAXBY CHAMBLISS (R-GA)
WASHINGTON, D.C.

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The National Guard Youth Foundation hosted its 2nd Annual ChalleNGe Champions Gala dinner on February 27th, 2007, in Washington, D.C., to honor the cadets of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program. The gala honored former President George H.W. Bush, Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England and Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) for their commitment and dedication to the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program. Other awardees included Adjutant General of Louisiana MG Bennett Landreneau and Paul Critchlow of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.

Emceed by Lorenzo Lamas of "The Bold and the Beautiful," the gala featured musical performances by country music star Craig Morgan and the recently crowned "Miss America," Lauren Nelson of Oklahoma.

Held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington, D.C., the event was attended by over 850 people, including current and former cadets from across the country. Current cadets Kimberly Brown from the Virginia Commonwealth Challenge Program and Kimberly Brown from the Virginia Commonwealth Challenge Program and Patrick Celestino from Florida Youth Challenge Academy offered the crowd moving testimonials that documented their personal transition triggered from their participation in the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program. Current cadet Erica Asher from Youth Challenge Academy Augusta at Fort Gordon sang a moving tribute of Rodgers & Hammerstein's "You'll Never Walk Alone" with world-renowned tenor Daniel Rodriguez. As a powerful conclusion to the gala, Dr. Josh Logan described to the crowd his personal transformation from a high school drop out to a Medical Doctor. Dr. Logan was a member of the first class of National Guard Youth Challenge cadets at Georgia's Ft. Benning in 1993.

At the Gala, Microsoft Corporation announced it would be donating $3.7 million of in-kind support to the National Guard Youth Foundation. It was also announced that Washington, D.C. would become the newest state to offer a National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program.

Other featured speakers at the Gala include: Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Governor Jim Gibbons (R-NV), Lieutenant General Steven Blum, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, Congressman Richard Baker (R-LA), Congressman Norman Dicks (R-WA), Lieutenant John Conoway, USAF (ret), NGYF Chairman, Mr. Kelly Perdew, Apprentice Winner, Mrs. Kim Henry, First Lady of Oklahoma, Ms. Dawn Gibbons, First Lady of Nevada and Ms. Gail Dady.

The National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program is a 17-month, co-ed program for 16- to 18-year-old high school dropouts that offers them the opportunity to enhance their life skills, earn their GED, pursue higher education, improve their employment potential and broaden their chances at success. The National Guard Youth Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization formed to support the work of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program through public awareness, scholarships, higher education assistance, mentoring and job development programs for graduates.

Founded in 1998, the National Guard Youth Foundation works to expand the number of states and sites per state to accommodate growing demand for the program. The Honorary Board of Directors is co-chaired by Former President George H. W. Bush and Senator Mary L. Landrieu (D-La). The ChalleNGe Champions Gala is held annually to raise awareness of the program and to honor the cadets who have voluntarily agreed to enter the program and change their lives for the better.

For more information about the National Guard Youth Foundation, please visit www.ngyouthfoundation.org. For more information about the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program, go to http://www.ngycp.org.