Leo

I had dropped out of high school because it wasn’t right for me. Because of YouthBuild, I now have my diploma and am working full time as a painter.

 

Leonardo, now 19, had been working as a cashier at McDonald’s for a few years and got to a point in his life where he knew he needed to make a change. “I felt stuck. I had no path or anything that I was pursuing. I really didn’t like my job and it was stressing me out a lot.” Leo had dropped out of high school because he felt that the traditional school route wasn’t for him but knew he needed to get his high school diploma somehow. He heard of YouthBuild Lake County through his cousin, who had graduated from the program the year before. He decided to give it a shot and applied. Originally, he was only looking to obtain his high school diploma. He had no idea of all the other opportunities YouthBuild would offer him. “They not only helped me get my high school diploma but helped me balance my money and be smarter with spending overall.” Leo also earned 4 construction certifications while at YouthBuild: OSHA 10, YRGE, Flagger, and NCCER. Leo gained work experience through an internship with Santana Equipment, a YouthBuild partner. When his internship ended, he was offered a full-time position with Santana Equipment where he now works as a painter. “I left McDonald’s and now I have a path. I wish there was a YouthBuild in every city,” Leo said. “The staff there are more than teachers, they are a support system. Knowing that I accomplished something, and I have the support and potential to reach for more, makes me excited for the future”.

Marisol

Through YouthBuild, I was able to finish my high school diploma and complete my CNA Program. I am proud to create a better life for my family.

 

Marisol, now 26, was going through a difficult time in her life before she came across YouthBuild. “I had been working at a warehouse for a few years. I wasn’t getting good pay and I knew that if I stayed in that job, I wasn’t going to have a good future for myself and my kids.” Being a young mother of two, Marisol wanted to create more opportunities for herself and her family. She decided to apply to YouthBuild Lake County after hearing about it through her sister, who was a YouthBuild graduate. Marisol wanted to go into nursing and with the help of YouthBuild, she completed an internship with Elevate Care Waukegan. After YouthBuild she enrolled at State Career College where she just graduated from a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) training program. She is now preparing to take the exam to obtain her CNA certification. She also recently accepted a job at Lake County Health Department, where she works in her field as a screener. “I think one of the main things that makes me happy is that I got my high school diploma and a few other certifications that can really help me move on in life. I don’t feel like I will be stuck in a job anymore. I have options available to me and I don’t have to depend on anyone anymore. I can do things for myself now,” Marisol said. “All I have to say is YouthBuild has a great staff and I appreciate every single one of them. They helped me out and made me a better person, and I will always be grateful for that.”

Jose

YouthBuild taught me how to be motivated and stay motivated. They taught me how to hold myself accountable and taught me a sense of professionalism and how to be prepared for the real world.

 

Jose, now 25, was trying to find himself before he came to YouthBuild Lake County. He had graduated high school but had no job and no stability in his life. “I started to find myself in a bad lifestyle and bad way of living. I didn’t have a stable place to stay and started to have some problems with drugs.” Then he was introduced to YouthBuild through a former staff member and decided to apply to the program. In his time at YBLC, Jose served on the Youth Policy Council where he gained leadership experience, advocated for his peers and served as the youth representative on the Board of Directors. He also earned his three construction certifications: OSHA 10, Flagger, and YRGE. He completed a paid internship with WKRS 1220 A.M Radio Station, where he was hired on after  and now works part time as an audio engineer. He is enrolled full time at the College of Lake County where he is studying to earn his Associate’s Degree in Digital Media and Design. “YouthBuild taught me how to be motivated and stay motivated. They taught me how to hold myself accountable and taught me a sense of professionalism and how to be prepared for the real world,” Jose said. “I can’t thank them enough. If I could do it all over again I would and if I could have found them sooner, I would have done it sooner. If anyone is hesitant to join, they should do it. Your future self will thank you because you are setting yourself up for success.”

 

 

Junior

Not only did YouthBuild help me get my high school diploma, but a few other certifications that gave me some great work experience. You can never stop truly learning, making better opportunities for yourself, and adding to your own growth.

 

Junior, now 23, had been working at a full-time job before he came to YouthBuild, but knew that wasn’t his end goal and was searching for something more in his life. “I was working a warehouse job. I didn’t have my high school diploma and wanted to create better opportunities for myself.” He had heard of YouthBuild Lake County long before he applied and finally decided to drop everything and apply to the program. During his time here, he not only earned his high school diploma, but also earned his three construction certifications: OSHA 10, YRGE, and NCCER . He also completed an internship with Habitat for Humanity ReStore. He is now pursuing a career in Information Technology, a YBLC career pathway. He is set to start classes at the College of Lake County, where he will work to obtain his IT Support Certificate and pursue a career as an IT Support Technician. “High school didn’t really teach me how to do my resume or present myself professionally. YouthBuild taught me that and how to better myself and network. You never know when you are going to have that opportunity to make a professional connection and elevate your work experience,” Junior said. “Not only did I get my high school diploma, but a few other certifications that gave me some great work experience. You can never stop truly learning, making better opportunities for yourself, and adding to your own growth.”

Alan

I hope my son grows up to be better than I was, and learns from who I am now, not who I was before YouthBuild. If it wasn’t for YouthBuild, I wouldn’t be where I’m at today. That’s the truth.

 

Alan, now 23, had been working for two years as a cart pusher at Menard’s and was searching for something more. He had graduated high school a year early by taking online classes but didn’t know what he wanted to do with his life. He knew traditional college wasn’t for him and he felt lost but was eager to work and hungry for change. He wanted to create a better future not only for himself, but for the most important person in his life–– his one-year-old son. Alan heard about YouthBuild from a customer at work and decided to apply. He immediately fell in love with the program and the staff. He loved how involved everyone was and how much they cared about his success. He realized that the type of mentorship YouthBuild offers was exactly what he was missing in his life. He started gaining hands-on experience at the job sites and soon found his passion for construction. “The most valuable thing I learned from YouthBuild besides my trade,” Alan said, “was how to be humble. I learned how to communicate better with others and learned how to work hard for what I want. There is nothing more rewarding than being able to give back to my community what YouthBuild gave to me.” Alan now works full time as a Journeyman Union Carpenter for Blinderman Construction. He just purchased his first home and his son, now five years old, just started school. “I hope my son grows up to be better than I was, and learns from who I am now, not who I was before YouthBuild,” said Alan. “If it wasn’t for YouthBuild, I wouldn’t be where I’m at today. That’s the truth.”

Aaliayah

YouthBuild prepped me for going back to school. They taught me the importance of professionalism and how to properly conduct an interview.

 

Aaliayah, now 27, was searching for stability in her life before she came to YouthBuild. She had her high school diploma but found herself jumping from job to job. “I had the time to commit to the program. I wasn’t working and knew I needed to make a change, so I figured why not try it out.” She had heard of the program through a friend, and they both decided to apply together. “YouthBuild prepped me for going back to school. They taught me the importance of professionalism and how to properly conduct an interview,” Aaliayah said. “They gave me hope that I can achieve what I want to achieve and to not be scared to go back to school or get a different job to better myself.”  Aaliayah is currently enrolled in the Transform Lake County scholarship program at the College of Lake County, working towards her Healthcare Administrative Assistant Certificate. She was recently joined the team her at YouthBuild Lake County as the Recruitment and Alumni Coordinator. She is recruiting new youth to the program who are in the same place in life she once was. “Everything I am doing now is a steppingstone to my next goal–– buying a house. I love being able to still have the support from YouthBuild not only as an alumnus, but as a staff member as well. YouthBuild sticks with you and when push comes to shove, you remember what they taught you. YouthBuild really makes that impact on your life.”

Ashley

YouthBuild showed me a different life. We got to travel to black colleges and see what was outside of our community. They taught me that I did not have to be a part of what I grew up in. I did not have to live in poverty and there are other options.

 

Ashley, now 29, had gotten kicked out of high school before she found YouthBuild. “I really didn’t like school, but I knew I needed to further my education somehow.” Ashley was introduced to YouthBuild by her mom and decided to take the opportunity. “YouthBuild taught me patience. I really enjoyed the diversity and meeting people from all walks of life. I got to see how far my peers came from when they started to where they are now.” She originally went to YouthBuild just to get her education. A few years later, when she was 22, she found herself struggling again and turned back to YouthBuild for help. “I was at this point in my life where I didn’t have a job and felt like I couldn’t get hired anywhere. I was dealing with a huge driving ticket and had lost all hope,” Ashley said. She remembered YouthBuild offered college and career programs and decided to go back. “YouthBuild showed me a different life. We got to travel to black colleges and see what was outside of our community. They taught me that I did not have to be a part of what I grew up in. I did not have to live in poverty and there are other options.” Years later, Ashley now works full time as a Supervisor of Security at Abbvie, a YouthBuild employer partner. “I am no longer jumping from house to house. I have a great job, my own apartment, and my own car. YouthBuild changed my life. I can’t stress that enough.”

Fernando

YouthBuild showed me a support system and that there are people out there beside your own family that will motivate you and help push you in the right direction.

 

Fernando, 22, was looking to make a change in his life before he applied to YouthBuild. “I did not have my high school diploma and there were a lot of events that happened in a row that made me realize I could easily be doing better for myself.” Fernando had heard of YouthBuild a few years back and decided to make the first step towards his future by reaching out and applying. “YouthBuild showed me a support system and that there are people out there beside your own family that will motivate you and help push you in the right direction,” Fernando said. “They also helped me learn how to better manage my time. Our schedules would shift from programming to on-site work, and that taught me to make the most of my time when I wasn’t on-site so I could all my certifications done and not fall behind.” During his time in the program, he was able to complete his high school diploma and earn several industry recognized credentials. “I had always had an interest in construction and earning my forklift certification at YouthBuild was able to lead me to a lot of better opportunities.” Fernando now works full time at Culligan, where he uses his certification as a material handler. “What makes me hopeful for the future is knowing that this is just the beginning. I plan on furthering my education because I know that will help push me even farther in life, and that is something I look forward to. Some great advice that I was told is that no one is going to flip the switch for you. If you are determined to do better for yourself, you have to go out and make it happen.”