Jose 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.” 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 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 currently enrolled 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.”