Friday, March 19, 2010

The State Journal, Compass Issue, August 2008

By Scott Kinard

McKenzie Smith, Ashley Goff and Josh Eden prove that young people can overcome obstacles and follow their dreams.

WORKFORCEWest Virginia, a division of the West Virginia Department of Commerce, offers a series of programs for youth ages 14 to 21 that help them complete their high school educations and continue onto college or prepare them for their entrances into the job market. Youth Advantage, located in the Mid-Ohio Valley region of WORKFORCE West Virginia, is one such program.

“The youth of today are critical to business and industry in the state,” said WORKFORCE West Virginia Executive Director Ron Radcliff. “In today’s marketplace, it is necessary to have a skill or degree to function in society. That’s why programs like Youth Advantage are so important to West Virginia’s work force and business community.”

With the help of WORKFORCE West Virginia and Youth Advantage, these three students found a way to get the education and skills they need to succeed.

McKenzie Smith

A May 2008 graduate of Clay County High School, McKenzie Smith overcame a trait many students, as well as adults, may not necessarily want to possess: shyness. "I used to be really, really shy and I knew I had to get over my fear,” Smith said.

This is where Youth Advantage assisted. When her cousin told her about the program at the beginning of her high school career, Smith filled out an application. Now, almost five years after joining the program, she is glad she did.

“I got to do so much more than if I just stayed at home. I also made many more friends,” Smith said. “They basically become your family.”

Today, she has conquered her fears through Youth Advantage. “They make you interact,” she said. As a matter of fact, Smith was a member of the Youth Advantage team that made a presentation during the 2007 National Youth Symposium in Chicago last December.  The presentation team conducted an informational workshop detailing the elements of the very successful program. “When I actually gave the speech in Chicago I overcame my shyness,” she said.

 Smith will attend West Virginia University Institute of Technology this fall. Following a high school course about healthcare, she decided to major in nursing. “I like helping people and I want to help the unfortunate who can’t and don’t have access to healthcare,” the aspiring RN said.

Following graduation, she wants to get a job in the Mountain State and then travel abroad to use her skills throughout the world, proving she has prevailed over the fear of talking to those she does not know.

Ashley Goff

Ashley Goff needed Youth Advantage’s help to create a plan that would help her complete her secondary education. “I had to figure out a way to stay in high school and graduate. I also needed to manage my time and money,” Goff said. After talking with some of her friends at the beginning of ninth grade, she became a part of the large program.

“Youth Advantage gave me a lot of encouragement and confidence. If they couldn’t help with a problem,” Goff said, “they would find someone who could. They would also help me prepare for tests.”

Not only did she join the group, she also became a member of its steering committee. Goff served two terms as chairman of the Young Adult Leadership Team, which coordinates with the staff to develop programming options.

The guidance of her advisors paid off and she graduated from Parkersburg High School in the spring of 2008.  Goff is participating in her second work experience program at the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. There she has learned a valuable lesson: “You have to work to get where you want to go.”

Goff will enroll at West Virginia University at Parkersburg (WVU-P) and major in child psychology. “I want to work with people and help them with their problems,” the soon-to-be freshman said. Following college, Goff wants to live in a West Virginia city, most likely her native Parkersburg, but will let her future career determine the locale.

Her case manager helped her decide on her exact major. “If I hadn’t participated in Youth Advantage, and been involved with the Boys and Girls Clubs,” she said, “I wouldn’t have known that I wanted to work with kids.”

Josh Eden

Josh Eden also attended Parkersburg High, but he did not graduate from the school. He, along with his brother, dropped out while experiencing some family and personal issues.

Eventually, he decided he would not go into the world without a degree. “When my mother and brother decided to get their GED, I did too,” Eden said. He finished his in November 2007.

While working toward the substitute diploma, Youth Advantage and its benefits were presented. Both he and his brother joined. “Youth Advantage actually helped me earn my GED,” Eden said.

Not only did the program help him through the GED testing, it also helped him find two paid work experiences, build a résumé, find a college and recover from the problems which caused him to leave high school.

Eden is now majoring in criminal justice at WVU-P, where he is maintaining a 3.0 GPA. He has one year left on the two-year degree. Afterwards, he wants to become a police officer while still living in the Parkersburg area. “I want to stay local. The crime is low, it’s laid back and my family is here,” Eden said.

Currently, he holds a mechanic’s job at the same place where he completed his second, 90-day work experience through Youth Advantage. Once he finishes school, he wants to be able to have the mechanic’s job as something to fall back on in case a career in law enforcement doesn’t pan out for him. To do this, Eden is also taking welding classes. “Youth Advantage always said to have a backup plan,” he said. Eden is planning for his future in other ways, such as the 401(k) account he established at his current employer.

He thinks the program has really helped him succeed. “It got me out into the community and helped me meet new people,” Eden said. “I would recommend Youth Advantage to anyone.”

These success stories are all part of WORKFORCE West Virginia helping to make the state’s future bright, and the continuation of programs like Youth Advantage ensures that effort.

“The Youth Advantage program is designed to help youth follow their dreams and meet the needs of the business community. Achieving both is a win-win situation for West Virginia,” said Workforce Investment Board Mid-Ohio Valley Program Director Joyce Okes.

William Monterosso, Director for Ross IES, the Operator of the One Stop System & Youth Advantage program for the Mid-Ohio Valley Region, agrees with Okes. “Our youth programs are the foundation to bridging the gap and improving the quality of life for West Virginians,” he said. “They operate from the perspective of ‘looking at youth for what they can become.’ An atmosphere of responsibility and accountability can instill hope that can drive change and create a burning desire to overcome adversity.”

For more information about available youth services, please contact WORKFORCE West Virginia at 304.558.1138 or visit www.workforcewv.org

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