Youth REC: Meet Elijah & Jasmine

Meet Elijah

Elijah, 19, enrolled at the Opportunity Youth Center in early April of this year, wanting to engage in academics and job readiness services. By the end of April, Elijah had earned his GED and driving permit. He completed the training for direct care work, but decided to pivot, and took a part-time job in the food service industry. He’s now waiting to begin an HVAC program with Job Corp!

Elijah had recently moved back to the states from Africa with his mom and was ready to hit the ground running. He showed incredible dedication and consistency in completing his GED and finding a job. He also has a great interest in his emotional development, frequently attending our Community Circle boys mentoring group. Elijah has such a positive attitude, is very charming and personable, and makes friends with everyone he meets. He’s incredibly kind and intelligent, mindful of others, and motivated to continue his personal development.

When asked if he thinks access to centers and services like ours is important for youth, Elijah said, “yes because you are able to talk to people that are much older and get advice.” He also mentioned he received a lot of helpful guidance on his, albeit brief, journey toward earning his GED and permit. He has already accomplished so much in such a short amount of time, and we’re all excited to see what this next chapter brings for him.

Meet Jasmine

Over a year ago, Jasmine walked into the Goodwill Metro Reengagement Center on 4th Avenue out of pure curiosity. She heard from other participants about the good things that were happening in the space and quickly decided she wanted to be involved after learning about the variety of opportunities available. When she began attending, she confidently engaged with everyone including staff and peers. She actively attended events such as our second Tuesday Resource event and participated in all of the groups (e.g. bereavement group, girls empowerment, and youth council). Her commitment and enthusiasm was contagious and inspired other participants to engage more.

You would never know how busy Jasmine was from her demeanor. She attended Pima Community College full-time and worked part-time during her participation at the center. She always wore a smile. And her ambition was amazing. Shortly after she decided her primary goal was to become a business owner in Fashion and Design, she received an opportunity to attend an 8-week Business Entrepreneurship course through the University of Arizona. She was definitely interested but unsure if the course would fit into her already jammed pack schedule. Ultimately, she shared with us that she might be MIA from the center for a bit while she completed finals and work. Recently, she returned to the center and we celebrated her as she shared the certificate she earned, then talked about her next steps. This August, Jasmine transferred to Arizona State University to earn her degree in Fashion and Design. We thank her for her impactful presence at Metro and wish her the best of luck in her journey.