“I recognized why I was there and was able to stay there for one main reason—bettering myself and realizing something good is going to come of this.”
Chase Waters struggled with kidney issues for most of his life until he received a kidney from his mother. On April 21, 2011, Chase underwent a kidney transplant. The doctors told Chase he would not be able to play sports or participate in other physical activities. This fueled his desire to prove them wrong and go after his dreams.
Originally from Birmingham, Ala., Chase attended Troy University in Alabama for one and a half years. After making some wrong decisions and going down a dark path in his early 20s, he knew he wanted to make a change, which led him to speak with his mother, a school counselor, about Job Corps.
Chase enrolled at Oconaluftee Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center in Cherokee, N.C., to study Forestry Conservation and Firefighting. He received his red card certification and was certified in prescribed fires. He became a dorm leader and was also on the food committee.
During his time at Job Corps, Chase took the program and training very seriously. He grew into his role as a mentor and leader to other students. His age and experience helped him succeed early in the program.
“Once I got in there and understood how Job Corps worked, I really wanted to make a difference for the other people there to realize why they’re there, what can come of it, and how to spend your time in Job Corps. I gained respect among my peers. I was 24 years old. I had been to college, and I always did what I was supposed to at Job Corps.”
Chase also received mentorship from his instructor, Dave Collins, who helped Chase conduct mock interviews when it came time to apply to a job. Dave’s leadership and guidance resonated with Chase, and they still keep in touch to this day.
“I really accredit my success to my instructor. He started my passion for conservation and firefighting.”
What exceeded Chase’s expectations was when he was sent to the Shoshone National Forest in Wyoming for 4 months after his completion of training at Oconaluftee Job Corps to take a deeper dive into forestry. Chase assisted the wildlife department and helped the recreation department. He marked timber, did timber standup improvement to reduce competition in the forest, and more.
“That was on-the-job training. It was like an internship, but they call them “work details.” I was on the timber crew in Wyoming.”
After completion of his training program and his 4-month detail, Chase applied to be a park ranger in Florida. Job Corps flew Chase to Atlanta, where his grandad picked him up and took Chase to Jacksonville, Fla., to complete the FWC Law Enforcement physical fitness test. He had the best test time out of a group of 45 participants.
Chase was hired to work for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection as a park ranger at Lovers Key State Park in Fort Myers, Fla. He has been in this role since January 2020. Today, Chase educates thousands of visitors on the importance of natural resources at the park, trail and camp maintenance, treating prescribed burns, and more. He also attends a summer camp each year to bring encouragement to those dealing with kidney failure.
“Job Corps is a great program. I really think it can do something great, which it already has. It changed my life. I know it’s changed many other people’s lives. They get there and they learn what it takes to be successful.”
Graduated from Job Corps in: December 13, 2019 Employer: Park Ranger at Lovers Key State Park in Fort Meyers, Florida Hometown: Birmingham, Alabama Submitted by: Center Submission