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What’s Happening at YouthBuild
HGTV Elkins Make it Shine Project!
Win or lose, we’ve got a great community!
YouthBuild is Hiring for January 2020 Crew!
EARN WHILE YOU LEARN!
• Are you between the ages of 17-24?
• Do you want to earn your High School Equivalency Diploma?
• Learn marketable job skills in the Construction or Medical Field?
• Gain Leadership Skills and earn and Education Award?
YouthBuild is accepting applications for our January 2020 crew. Call 304-637-9008 to schedule an interview or apply in person at YouthBuild, Highland Park, Elkins.
Online Application available www.rchawv.org/youthbuild
5K and Kids Fun Run supports YouthBuild North Central
November 30, 2019
By Haley Gordon
Submitted photo The Randolph County Housing Authority 40th Year Anniversary 5K and Kids Fun Run raised funds for the YouthBuild North Central program.
ELKINS — A running competition raised money for the YouthBuild North Central program, which helps young adults gain employment skills.
The Randolph County Housing Authority 40th Year Anniversary 5K and Kids Fun Run offered family fun while helping to support a good cause.
“Thank you (…) for making our kick-off 5K event a wonderful success,” Jennifer Griggs of YouthBuild said to the community in an official press release.
Griggs said the event was so well-received officials have already begun planning for next year’s 5K and Kids Fun Run.
“One of the highlights was the first-place prize in all the age groups; a handmade birdhouse build by the hands of our YouthBuild students with local materials,” said Griggs.
The YouthBuild North Central WV program began in 1996 with the purpose of assisting young adults in earning high school equivalent degrees and gain skills and experience.
“The following businesses helped keep event costs down so your race entry fee can go directly to supporting the YouthBuild North Central WV program,” Griggs said in the release.
The list of sponsors included Rich Mountain Trading and Pawn Company, All Seasons Real Estate, Tygart Valley Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, College Park Book Club, 1201 Cross Fit, Amramp, Allegheny Insurance Services and Davis Health System – Food Services.
“When you support these local companies, please let them know how much you appreciate their supporting of YouthBuild North Central WV,” stated the press release.
The YouthBuild program strives to give young adults the tools to get a good job and keep it. YouthBuild attempts to strengthen the educational backgrounds of young adults, teach marketable skills and entrepreneurship and instill leadership values that relate to home, work and community in order to assist young adults with becoming responsible members of the community. The Randolph County Housing Authority has sponsored YouthBuild for more than 20 years.
YouthBuild Graduates Honored
https://www.theintermountain.com/news/local-news/2019/11/youthbuild-graduates-honored/
November 22, 2019
By Haley Gordon
Photo courtesy of Sharelle Harman Hayley Fowler, left, one of eight new graduates of the YouthBuild North Central program, receives her diploma and shakes hands with Thomas Akers of YouthBuild, who served as the emcee for the graduation ceremony Thursday.
ELKINS — YouthBuild North Central hosted a graduation ceremony for the class of November 2019 in the Phil Gainer Community Center Thursday.
Taking part in the graduation ceremony were Dakota Boggs, Austin Durking, Collin Elswick, Hayley Fowler, Mercedes Isenhart, Jonathan Pennington, Brandon Seabolt and Zachary Warren. Eddie “Eli” Gripper and Damon Tacy were also honored for graduating from the program, but were unable to attend the ceremony.
“Many thanks to the hands-on, never-give-up, tough as nails, most loving and empathetic team that powers YouthBuild,” said Michelle Phares, YouthBuild program manager, during the graduation ceremony. “Thank you for giving 110% every day that you walk in our doors to these young people (…) you guys are amazing human beings.”
Turning her attention to the graduates, Phares said, “Most importantly, in this room today, is this group of warriors to my left and my right. They truly are. They face challenges head on every day and never give up.”
The YouthBuild program strives to give young adults the tools to get a good job and keep it. YouthBuild attempts to strengthen the educational backgrounds of young adults, teach marketable skills and entrepreneurship and instill leadership values that relate to home, work and community in order to assist young adults with becoming responsible members of the community. The Randolph County Housing Authority has sponsored YouthBuild for more than 20 years.
The Inter-Mountain photo by Haley Gordon Karen Jacobsen, executive director of the Randolph County Housing Authority, spoke to YouthBuild North Central graduates at a graduation ceremony Thursday.
“This is one of my favorite things to do in my job every year, is to come to YouthBuild graduations,” Karen Jacobsen, executive director of the Randolph County Housing Authority, said during the ceremony. “I’m always really thrilled to be here and to see you and to see how far you all have come.”
“These YouthBuild crews carry out the Housing Authority mission every day, in the hundreds of hours of community service every month through the months that they serve,” said Jacobsen.
She commended the graduates on the many projects they’ve worked on, including work at Cass Scenic Railroad’s state park, the Homestead school renovation, digitizing the Elkins-Randolph County Library and helping to clean up after heavy rainfall in July.
Elkins Mayor Van Broughton praised the YouthBuild graduates for working day after day to improve our community and putting in nearly 2,000 hours of work before turning the microphone over to Rhett Dusenbury, district representative of Congressman Alex Mooney, R-2nd District.
Mooney sent a letter for Dusenbury to present to the graduates.
“You have shown that the word ‘can’t’ doesn’t apply to you,” he said. “You can do anything you want. You’ve already shown it by going through this course, any other personal improvement you care to do, you will succeed if you just apply yourselves like you all did on this program right here.”
The students were recognized and given their diplomas, while their various accomplishments and certifications were read aloud. Afterward, a few of the graduates spoke to thank their instructors, families, and support systems for helping them throughout the YouthBuild program.
Other speakers at the event included Jennifer “JJ” Johnson, the Youth Health Service Home Times Strengthening Families Center family service coordinator, and Thomas Akers of YouthBuild, who served as the emcee for the event.
Elkins Rotarians Learn more about YouthBuild Program
August 6, 2019
By Eliana McCutcheon
The Inter-Mountain photo by Eliana McCutcheon From left, students of YouthBuild North Central West Virginia Austin Durking, Colin Elswick and Eli Gripper, and alumnus of the program Sharell Harmon speak to the Elkins Rotary Club Monday.
ELKINS — On Monday, the Elkins Rotary Club learned about the YouthBuild North Central West Virginia program, which has served the local community for more than 20 years.
It is a chapter of the national nonprofit organization YouthBuild USA, which started in New York City in 1988. Today, there are more than 270 YouthBuild programs in 46 states, Washington, D.C., and the Virgin Islands, engaging approximately 10,000 young adults each year.
The purpose of YouthBuild is to help participants develop a variety of skill sets that they can use to create a better future for themselves.
This non-profit program is sponsored by the Randolph County Housing Authority in Elkins. They provide students with vocational and educational training designed to give young adults the tools they need to get a good job and keep it.
“We start off with a lot of team building, introduction to classroom education, classroom communication,and leadership.” said Michelle Phares, program manager at YouthBuild North Central WV.
Since 1995, YouthBuild continues to help motivate participants, ranging ages of 16 to 24, to earn their high school equivalency certificate, learn marketable job skills, and develop important leadership skills, all while earning a paycheck.
Austin Durking, a Youth Build student, said, “I learned about YouthBuild through Facebook. I was looking for any program that helped high school drop outs. Before YouthBuild I did not have a very good attitude, but after I joined the program, it became much better and I became a harder worker.
“I am really proud because I got my GED in a month when I joined. I can now help others achieve what they wish to do. The workers and staff really do help us with everything that we need. This program gave me the opportunity for a second chance. In my future, I plan to either join the military, or pursue a career in Aerospace Engineering,” he said.
Colin Elswick, another YouthBuild student, said, “YouthBuild allows you to volunteer and by doing that, you develop leadership skills.”
YouthBuild student Eli Gripper said, “The students from YouthBuild come from different kinds of backgrounds. Some from broken homes, some suffer from homelessness, others have kids too early, and some have suffered with drug abuse. This program has helped all of us make our lives into something that can be better. It betters us as people. This is beneficial to us and it is beneficial to those who surround us. For me, this has been such a great program and I am so humbled to be in it.”
Sharell Harmon, a 2015 graduate of the program, shared her hopes and dreams for the current students and the future students of the YouthBuild program with Rotary members Monday.
“This program is a tremendous attribution to all of the young people across the country. I am here to represent the alumni that graduated this program here in Elkins,” she said. “Some have gone off to the military, they go into STEM careers, I myself, graduate of 2015, have served four years with AmeriCorps, I have attained my associates degree from Pierpont, and now I am in my junior year at WVU to earn my bachelor’s degree in sociology with a minor in political science.
“I am here to support the current students right now to preserve the next generation of citizens.”
For those who are interested in giving to the program or becoming a student, visit 300 Boundary Street in Elkins, call 304-637-9008, or email youthbuild@rchawv.org.
YouthBuild Grads Enter Workforce
https://www.theintermountain.com/news/local-news/2019/02/youthbuild-grads-enter-workforce/
February 19, 2019
By Brad Johnson
The Inter-Mountain photos by Brad Johnson Elkins Mayor Van Broughton, at right, prepares to hand out special certificates from the city of Elkins to each of the 2019 graduates of the YouthBuild of North Central West Virginia program. YouthBuild Education Coordinator Thomas Akers gives Broughton a hand.
ELKINS — The journey completed by eight young adults was celebrated during the 2019 graduation of the YouthBuild of North Central West Virginia program.
Officials, family and friends gathered at the Phil Gainer Community Center on Feb. 14 to celebrate the accomplishments of the students and wish them well as they embarked on the next chapter of their lives.
Karen Jacobson, executive director of the program, noted the Randolph County Housing Authority has sponsored YouthBuild for more than 20 years. Projects this year’s graduates have worked on included building skate ramps for Glendale Park in Elkins; building picnic tables for Camp Pioneer; and building sheds for the United Way of Randolph County.
Elkins Mayor Van Broughton gave each of the graduates a special certificate from the city of Elkins.
“The city of Elkins cannot thank you fine folks enough for all the hard work you’ve put in to make this town look better,” Broughton told the graduates. “I hope that your dreams will take you to the corners of your smiles, to the highest of your hopes, to the windows of your opportunities and to the most special places your hearts have to give.”
Carly Ranger, a 2019 graduate of the YouthBuild of North Central West Virginia program, receives congratulations from the instructors during the graduation ceremony for the program at the Phil Gainer Community Center in Elkins.
Jennifer “J.J.” Johnson, the family service coordinator for the Home Ties Strengthening Families Center, located at Youth Health Service, praised the graduates on the work they have done.
“I am so proud of you guys. You guys worked really hard,” she said. “These are great human beings. They don’t always think they are. People don’t always tell them they are. But they’ve got great hearts, strong spirits and they’ve got a lot to offer.”
The 2019 graduates are Zachary Ankney, Nathaniel Briggs, Courtney Harris, Haylee Petrice, Carly Ranger, William “Eli” Sherill, Erich Trickett and Tiffany Valentine.
The YouthBuild program strives to give young adults the tools to get a good job and keep it. YouthBuild attempts to strengthen the educational backgrounds of young adults, teach marketable skills and entrepreneurship and instill leadership values that relate to home, work and community in order to assist young adults with becoming responsible members of the community.
YouthBuild Education Coordinator Thomas Akers was the emcee for the graduation ceremony.
Other YouthBuild staff taking part included Job Developer Tara Webley, Construction Trainer Randy Cunningham, Construction Trainer Assistant Otto High and Instructor Loren Fortney. Program Manager Michelle Phares was ill and unable to take part.
The work YouthBuild participants complete also is reinforced with classroom instruction, job shadowing and personal guidance. Out-of-school youth ages 16 to 24 are eligible to apply. The program typically lasts between six to 10 months.
A letter to the graduates from Sharelle Harmon, a 2015 YouthBuild North Central graduate who was elected the national president of the YouthBuild USA student leadership body, was read during the graduation.
Representatives from the offices of Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., spoke during the ceremony, as did Rhett Dusenbury, representing Congressman Alex Mooney, R-Second District.
Elkins Rotarians Hear YouthBuild Success Stories
January 15, 2019
By Brad Johnson
The Inter-Mountain photo by Brad Johnson Erich Trickett tells the Elkins Rotary Club Monday about the accomplishments he’s achieved and lessons he’s learned through the YouthBuild of North Central West Virginia program, from which he is scheduled to graduate in the near future.
ELKINS — Elkins Rotary Club members learned Monday about a local program that helps young people get an education and find a career.
Michelle Phares, the program manager of YouthBuild of North Central West Virginia, introduced to Rotarians two of the program’s latest success stories during the Elkins club’s Monday meeting at the Elkins-Randolph County YMCA.
“We offer education, job training and leadership development to young people, many of whom dropped out of high school,” Phares said. “This YouthBuild is a ‘construction plus’ program, so we do training in construction, we also do training in the entry level medical field.”
The program teams up with Garrett College and Pierpont Community and Technical College to offer educational opportunities.
“They attend a two-day training with West Virginia Choice, and they have the opportunity to volunteer and job shadow at Davis Health System,” Phares said. “They’re a really great partner for us. Davis Health System has put a lot of our young people to work.”
She noted many local businesses are partnering with the program.
“They go out in the community and our community partners have offered to train them. We have a lot of great partners in this area,” she said.
“We have job shadow with Davis Health, Elkins Builders, Dave Davis Heating and Cooling, Triangle Heating and Cooling, Speedway, Lavender Fields, Elkins Motor Sports, the YMCA, Old Skool Tattoos, Isaac Jackson Hotel, Beanders, 1863, Pack and Ship, Crazy Harry’s and Bates… Those people actually take our young YouthBuilders and teach them a trade that could lead to employment… and gives them really good job skills.”
Two young men who are set to graduate from the program soon addressed the Rotarians Monday.
Erich Trickett and Zach Ankney were both elected to the program’s Policy Committee, to help write and enforce policy.
“Before I came here, I was trying to obtain a stable job along with taking care of my sister since my mother’s passing,” Trickett said. “I was lacking my education” which cut down on his job opportunities, he said.
“Since I’ve come to YouthBuild, during the past five months I’ve obtained my GED, my OSHA (certification), business computer classes through Garrett College, and I’ve also obtained a First Aid and a food handlers card. Overall it helped me, one, obtain a stable job, and gave me a better mindset and a higher confidence level,” he added.
Being part of the YouthBuild program also means helping to improve the community, Trickett said.
“We’ve helped out quite a bit around town with the Elkins library, Catholic Charities, the Humane Society, the (West Virginia) Autism Supportive Center, even helping build new ramps for the skate park,” he noted.
“My plan after YouthBuild” includes going to work at Elkins Builders, “and I’m also focusing on going to college and aiming for the military tract through criminal justice and criminology,” Trickett said.
“I just want to help repay YouthBuild for giving me the opportunity to achieve.”
Ankney said good advice from a friend led him to the program.
“One of my best friends went through the YouthBuild program also, and he encouraged me to get an interview there and to go in and be as confident as possible, and as a result, I’m here now and I’m getting my GED,” he said.
“I’ve helped my community with service to Catholic Charities, for example, and when we built the ramps at the skate park,” he said. “The things I’ve earned (while participating in the YouthBuild program) are my CPR certification, my OSHA certification, my voters registration card, and my food handlers card.”
The program offers young men and women the opportunity to earn money while gaining hands-on experience through building quality houses. The work YouthBuild participants complete also is reinforced with classroom instruction, job shadowing and personal guidance. Out-of-school youth ages 16 to 24 are eligible to apply. The program typically lasts between six to nine months.
For more information about the program, call 304-637-9008.
18 Graduate YouthBuild Program
https://www.theintermountain.com/news/local-news/2018/06/18-graduate-youthbuild-program/
June 30, 2018
By Brad Johnson
The Inter-Mountain photo by Brad Johnson 2018 YouthBuild North Central graduate Grant Powell is congratulated by YouthBuild Education Coordinator Thomas Akers during the graduation ceremony at the Phil Gainer Community Center in Elkins.
ELKINS — Officials, family and friends gathered to celebrate the accomplishments of 18 young adults as they graduated from the YouthBuild of North Central West Virginia program this week.
“On Oct. 30, 26 were invited, and 23 accepted the challenge,” Michelle Phares, the YouthBuild program manager, said, saluting the 18 individuals who completed the program. “They walked together through personal struggles and terrible loss. They became a team.”
“This is not an end,” Phares said. “It’s a transition. It’s a beginning.”
Elkins Mayor Van Broughton was on hand at the Phil Gainer Community Center for Thursday’s ceremony, telling the graduates, “You are great people and Elkins is a better place because of you.”
Greetings were sent to the graduates from Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.
“I feel so blessed to get to know you guys,” said Jennifer “J.J.” Johnson, coordinator of Youth Health Service’s Home Ties Strengthening Families Center, who has worked with the graduates in group sessions. “It means a lot to me that you guys share with me and I share with you.
“You are strong, you are special and you deserve to have a good life,” she said.
Sharelle Harmon, a 2015 YouthBuild North Central graduate who was elected the national president of the YouthBuild USA student leadership body, told the graduates they needed to stay in contact with each other.
“Continue to love each other and continue to support each other,” she said.
The 2018 graduates are Donnie Barkley, Katie Briggs, Kate Collins, Shatia Currence, Breanna Ford, Austin Harris, Sam Jack, Allysia McCoy, Makayla Morris, Grant Powell, Miranda Schoonover, Nicholas Shaw, Hank Smith, Biker Sottile, Kalina Steiger, Melissa Steiger, Michelle Steiger and Kristen Stewart.
The YouthBuild program strives to give young adults the tools to get a good job and keep it. YouthBuild attempts to strengthen the educational backgrounds of young adults, teach marketable skills and entrepreneurship and instill leadership values that relate to home, work and community in order to assist young adults with becoming responsible members of the community.
YouthBuild Education Coordinator Thomas Akers was the emcee for the graduation ceremony.
Other YouthBuild staff taking part included Executive Director Karen Jacobson, Case Manager Heather Fowler, Job Developer Tara Webley, Construction Trainer Randy Cunningham, Construction Trainer Assistant Otto High and Instructor Loren Fortney.
The program offers young men and women the opportunity to earn money while gaining hands-on experience through building quality houses. The work YouthBuild participants complete also is reinforced with classroom instruction, job shadowing and personal guidance. Out-of-school youth ages 16 to 24 are eligible to apply. The program typically lasts between six to 10 months.