D.C. National Guard Commanding General Maj. Gen. Schwartz to receive national award at Thursday's Nat's game

WASHINGTON, DC (08/26/2015)(readMedia)-- The National Guard Youth Foundation (NGYF) will recognize Maj. Gen. Errol R. Schwartz during the Washington Nationals game against the San Diego Padres on Thursday, August 27.

The Spirit Award is being presented to General Schwartz on behalf of the District of Columbia National Guard for its efforts to help youth who have dropped out of school with an opportunity to change their future through the Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy.

"Many teenagers are in need of additional structure and guidance to help them achieve their educational goals and the Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy provides a safe and supportive environment in which they can find that opportunity," said Louis A. Cabrera, president of NGYF. "We are grateful for the continued and significant support General Schwartz and the District of Columbia National Guard have provided to the DC program to change trajectory of these young lives for the better."

General Schwartz was instrumental in bringing a ChalleNGe program facility to the area to serve District of Columbia youth. Under his leadership, the ChalleNGe program has expanded its curriculum to include financial literacy and science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs, in addition to coursework to support personal growth and prepare students for the General Education Development credential. To date, more than 350 youth have graduated from the Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy.

The Spirit Award will be announced on the field at 6:40 p.m. before the 7:05 p.m. game. Retired Air National Guard Gen. Craig McKinley, chairman of the National Guard Youth Foundation, will present the award.

The Washington Nationals have made this recognition possible by selecting NGYF as the featured charitable organization of the game. A portion of the proceeds from tickets sold will go to NGYF to provide workforce development programs and continuing education support for graduates of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program.

Cadets from the DC Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy will present the colors prior to first pitch and NGYF spokesperson Kaley Caperton will sing the National Anthem.

About the National Guard Youth Foundation

The National Guard Youth Foundation is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that advocates for and supports ChalleNGe, run by the National Guard; raises awareness of the impact that the school dropout crisis has on our society, economy and national security; and provides ChalleNGe graduates with scholarships and career support to help them continue on their path of success. For more information, visit www.ngyf.org.

About the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program

Conducted at 35 academies across the country, the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program is operated in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Defense, National Guard Bureau, state governments and local sites. The program consists of a 5-month residential phase framed around eight core components: academic excellence, responsible citizenship, physical fitness, leadership/followership, job skills, service to the community, health and hygiene and life coping skills, and a 12-month post residential phase during which mentors continue to provide guidance and support to graduates.

Helping more than 135,000 teens to date turn their lives around, ChalleNGe is recognized as among the most cost-effective, highly rated programs of its kind for youth who have dropped out of school. An independent, multi-year study of the program by MDRC shows that high school diploma and-or GED attainment increased by 29 percent; college attendance increased by 86 percent and annual earnings increased by 20 percent. An independent cost-benefit analysis by the RAND Corporation shows a 166 percent return on investment in the program – every dollar spent yielded a return of $2.66 in benefits to society. Information on the Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy can be found at www.cgyca.org.