Beatrice Aboagye moved to the United States from Ghana, Africa, when she was 13. After earning her high school diploma, she initially decided not to pursue any additional education, because adjusting to school in the U.S. had been challenging for her. So, she went directly into the workforce, working for tips as a server at […]
Virginia
Amanda Umbrello
Amanda Umbrello always knew she wanted to do something that would help others, but her resources were limited. “When I was a child, I was adopted into a very large family, so money was tight,” Amanda said. “I knew I would have to be independent and work hard to achieve my goals.” During her high […]
Jennifer Hallmark
Jennifer Hallmark moved in with her older sister when she was 14 because her mother was hospitalized. She was being homeschooled during this time, but soon stopped her studies to work. It wasn’t very long before Jennifer realized that most jobs required a high school diploma or GED, so she applied for the Job Corps […]
Shameka Rabon
Shameka Rabon was raised in the small military town of Lawton, Oklahoma. With a large family that included four brothers and three sisters, there was rarely a dull moment in her house. Shameka consistently made good grades, but after the unexpected passing of her youngest brother during her senior year, she had trouble coping with […]
Quanise Chatman
In addition to earning her high school diploma and completing two training areas at Job Corps, it was there that Quanise Chatman discovered her passion for volunteering. Quanise graduated from the Blue Ridge Job Corps Center on May 29, 2014, having gone through the Certified Nurse Assistant and Medical Office Support programs. She then worked […]
Lashae McConnell
Lashae McConnell came to Job Corps in May 2017 because she didn’t have a college degree and wanted to accomplish more in her life. While enrolled at the Blue Ridge Job Corps Center, Lashae completed her certifications for Certified Nursing Assistant, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), First Aid, and ServSafe. […]
Niah Marble
After seeing a Job Corps ad, Niah Marble thought it would be a great program to help her start a career. She enrolled and began her training at the Blue Ridge Job Corps Center in October 2014. “Always stay focused on the reason you came to Job Corps in the first place. It won’t always […]
Eileah Morris
Originally from Roanoke, Va., Eileah Morris enrolled in Blue Ridge Job Corps in April 2017. “I was going down the wrong path, and I wanted better for myself,” Eileah said. “Blue Ridge Job Corps helped me learn to be successful, not only in my career, but in all aspects of my life.” She recently graduated […]
Joycelyn Wroten
Joycelyn Wroten arrived at Blue Ridge Job Corps in May of 2017, from Columbia, S.C. She had graduated from high school but wanted to further her education. She learned about Job Corps while researching programs online. “I wanted to make it out of the situation that I was in and become a better version of […]
Aaliyah Bland
Aaliyah Bland spent her childhood and most of her adolescence in Hawaii, where she graduated from James Campbell High School. Originally, she had no plans to pursue education beyond high school, but she began wanting more out of life. “If you want something, you have to work hard for it, and Job Corps can help […]