A quasi-military program in Lathrop that serves at-risk teenagers narrowly avoided closure after it was on the verge of being shut down by the U.S. Department of War, according to Representative Josh Harder.
The Discovery ChalleNGe Academy, operated through the California National Guard in partnership with the San Joaquin County Office of Education, was told it was on track to lose federal support under the U.S. Department of War, a move that would have effectively shut down the program. Harder said the decision has since been reversed following intervention and a coordinated push from local and state leaders.
"We had a near-death experience of one of the most important schools in San Joaquin County," Harder said. "There's no other school that takes kids who are on the very edge—kids who have been expelled or dropped out—and completely turns their lives around."
The Discovery ChalleNGe Academy serves all 38 Northern California counties, where 16- to 18-year-olds who are behind in credits move in for five-and-a-half months to get back on track to graduate.
"I've been in education a long time, and this is probably one of the most life-changing programs in all of education," Troy Brown, San Joaquin County superintendent of schools, said.
Harder called the program a "hidden gem" in Lathrop and said efforts are underway to raise its visibility and expand awareness of its impact.
He also criticized the initial decision to cut federal education support tied to the program, arguing it would have eliminated a proven intervention for struggling students. Following the announcement, Harder said he contacted Pentagon officials and worked with a coalition of local supporters to restore funding.
"This program saves money for our school system by taking dropouts and transforming their lives... We were able to kick it into high gear. I called the Pentagon immediately and we were able ultimately to get this reversed," Harder said.
Program staff and educators say the academy's impact is visible in individual student outcomes.
Staff Sgt. Benny Montiel, logistics supervisor at the academy, said he sees students undergo measurable transformation during their time in the program and believes it offers a structured path to stability for youth who may otherwise fall through the cracks.
"What keeps drawing me back to the Academy is the passion for the kids to see the change, to have that fulfillment, that at some point I have the opportunity to touch someone's life for the better," Montiel said. "This program is out there for anybody that would like a change in their life."
Montiel also cited examples of graduates who have gone on to pursue military careers, including one former cadet who reportedly became a Navy SEAL, though he emphasized that military service is not a requirement or expectation of participants.
Superintendent Brown shared another account of a 17-year-old student who told adults that the program marked her first sustained period of sobriety since she was 10.
"Can you imagine that at this age, a 17-year-old, that it takes a program like this to really change all that about her?" Brown said. "So now look where her life has changed, now that she's sober, made up credits, and just moving in a whole new direction."
During a recent visit to the facility, Harder toured classrooms and met with cadets, including Cadet Janders who said his GPA rose from 1.8 to 4.0 after enrolling.
"I just took my chance and it's just improved me," the cadet said. "My grades, my idea of what I want to do when I get out of here. It's just made my life so much better being here."
Other students described similar turnarounds, including Cadet Mendoza, who said he entered the program far behind on credits with a GPA of 0.1 and has since improved to a 3.7. He said the transition required significant personal sacrifice, including time away from family and adherence to strict program standards, but ultimately proved worthwhile.
"DCA really helped me get away from that drama, help my credits recover, and get back on my grades," Mendoza said.
Administrators say those outcomes are consistent across cohorts, with Brown noting that improvements often extend beyond individual students and into their families and communities.
"All their lives change," Brown said. "And you can see generations changing because of this."
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