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“Before I got to AYW, I had just gotten out of jail. Before that, I was on some hard drugs, and homeless and bouncing around from place to place. My mindset wasn’t great and I honestly didn’t think school or anything else was going to work out for me.

My mom told me about this new GED program starting in Taylor and I wasn’t really into it at first. I had already tried three other schools, and none of them worked out. But after going to orientation, something felt different. It made me feel like I could actually do it. And I’m so glad I gave it a shot.

The only real challenge I had in the program was myself. But YouthBuild gave me a lot of confidence and helped me feel like I actually wanted to learn. I also met people outside of the crowd I was used to and that really helped me grow.

While I was in the program, I got my GED, Manufacturing Certificate, OSHA 10, and CPR certified. I even visited four different colleges. What made it really special was doing it with a group of people who also didn’t come from perfect situations. We all lifted each other up and made it through together.

Honestly, every part of YouthBuild was an adventure. Even when it felt slow or tough, I was still moving forward one step at a time. I’m super grateful for AYW and everything they helped me do. I wouldn’t have gotten here without them.

Right now, I’m working at Sonic and about to move into my first house, not just an apartment, a house! I was going to start college but decided to pause for now, and that’s okay. I’m still making moves. My whole family’s doing well and I’m excited to keep building my own future.

My goals now are to get stable housing, stay on top of my bills, and keep saving. YouthBuild helped me believe I could do that and more.” – Jonah

 

YouthBuild

 

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“Before coming to American YouthWorks, I felt lost. I missed a lot of school while helping my mom care for my siblings. Then my credits didn’t transfer after moving states and I was going to be held back. That’s when my aunt told me about YouthBuild. My family kept telling me about it and I realized this would be a good opportunity. I heard how flexible they were and I thought it would give me some guidance in life.

At YouthBuild, I felt supported and treated like an adult. The staff encouraged me to stay focused and I was proud to earn my GED earlier. Through the Health Corps program, I earned my Community Health Worker certification and recently completed an externship with Community Care.

During the externship, I shadowed different employees in various roles at Community Care, including Registered Nurses, CHWs, and physicians. It was inspiring to see how passionate they were about their work. I was impressed at how they collaborated across departments to meet patient needs. Even though team members often came from different departments, they all worked together to provide support for the patients.

Now, I’m looking for a job and planning to enroll in school to pursue a career in dentistry starting with becoming a dental hygienist. YouthBuild gave me the direction and confidence I needed to move forward.” – Honesty L

 

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