Success Stories | John
When John finally earned his high school diploma, he couldn’t have been more thrilled about what was coming next in his life. He was accepted to Ohio State on a wrestling scholarship and maintained a 3.2 GPA. Soon after school began, though, John received devastating news: he would need to leave school in order to care for his parents.
Demonstrating a strong allegiance to his family through their hardship, John changed his plans.
Working with our Youth Career Program in Maryland, he became focused on credit stabilization, obtaining his learner’s permit, and pursuing a career. Though he was disappointed about his life plans being derailed, he chose to see this as an opportunity, telling us that in this time: “I am working towards making myself a better person for myself and my family.”
John is a natural leader who values his community. He has been an active volunteer with the National City Christian Center for over 11 years, always giving back with a mindset of gratitude.
After getting and loving his job in the security field, John dedicated himself to a new goal: he is currently studying and training to become a Special Police Officer.
Our generous donors are celebrating John’s commitment to success by providing him with a Success Award. He will now have workout equipment with which to train, clothing and shoes for work, and a laptop on which to study. We know his future is bright, and his efforts will soon pay off.
He wrote to us: “I really appreciate all the support that I have received from the Eckerd Connects staff as I have continued to grow… This program has been a big support for me with my goals and objectives and I am very grateful to the staff for assisting me. They have shown me ways to stabilize and secure my finances along with being a productive young man in the community.”
About Youth Career Program
Eckerd Connects Youth Career Center serves youth ages 18-24 facing behavioral health challenges which place them at risk of being placed outside the home. Services are coordinated with these young people and their families based on a national results-based model. The program involves families as active partners and uses a team-based approach to coordinate services across multiple systems. This process has earned positive feedback from both parents and the young people Eckerd Connects serves.
Learn more about our Workforce Development programs or find one near you below.