Alexa was searching for better opportunities before she found YouthBuild. “I had been working warehouse jobs and I had honestly gotten comfortable. I started to think that maybe school wasn’t for me, but I realized I didn’t want to work in a warehouse for the rest of my life.” Alexa had dropped out of high school when she became pregnant with her first child. She had been working towards getting her GED, but found it difficult to balance online school with work. “I knew I needed something with more structure. I had heard of YouthBuild from a friend and decided to apply. It wasn’t an easy decision for me at first because I was worried about being able to dedicate time to the program while supporting my family, but I knew I needed to make a change, so I decided to put all my effort into this. I wanted to better myself not only for me, but for my three kids.” At YouthBuild, Alexa earned her high school diploma and several industry recognized credentials. “I knew from an early age that my dream was to go into the healthcare field and the staff at YouthBuild guided me into the right program. I had no idea about all of the opportunities available in the nursing field and having access to those resources has really helped me.” Alexa is currently enrolled at State Career College, where she is working towards her medical assistant certification. After earning her certification, she plans to continue schooling to earn an Associate Degree. “I want to become a Labor and Delivery Nurse or maybe even a Physician’s Assistant,” Alexa said. “I am excited for the future knowing I can keep growing and learning. I want to be able to help my kids with college and I know by preparing for my future, I am also preparing for theirs. I don’t know where I would be right now without YouthBuild. The staff always pushed me to do better every day and have been so supportive and encouraging. It can be difficult to make a change when you feel like you are starting from zero, but I’ve learned that it’s better to start from zero and move up instead of staying there and having nothing.”