Ashley 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.”