“I want her to be able to follow in my footsteps and know they will lead her to greatness.”

As Trayveonshay (Tray) Stone, 21, stood watching his fellow cohort participants celebrate, he held his one-year old daughter. When asked how he was feeling, his response was simple: happy.

Tray and eleven other Indy youth were celebrating their recent completion of YouthBuild Indy’s Construction Training program. Led by EmployIndy and in partnership with AmeriCorps, YouthBuild Indy offers participants the opportunity to earn their high school equivalency (HSE), a NCCER construction certification, an AmeriCorps education award, participate in a 3-week work experience (WEX), and be placed in a job, all while getting paid to learn.

Tray shared how he struggled a lot in high school. It was difficult for him to learn in a traditional classroom setting and even when he asked for help, he still felt left behind. Like all of us, he just wanted to fit in. Sports offered a chance for him to connect with others, but when that didn’t work out, he started skipping school and eventually, stopped going altogether.

There are roughly 15,800 youth in Marion County, who are disconnected from education and employment. Like Tray, some struggled in school. Other reasons for disconnection include inadequate access to job training, homelessness, involvement with the justice system, or lack of familial support.

When he heard about YouthBuild Indy through his grandmother’s church, he reached out and got connected.

“I saw a career and an opportunity to make money. I felt like this could be the start of me finding my path,” Tray said. He shared about earning his Indiana HSE, as a part of the program, through Marian University. He went on to express his gratitude for several intangibles he’s taken away from the experience as well, such as learning patience, better communication skills, and dealing with his personal trauma. As a part of the 18-week program, participants also complete the YES Indy Power Huddle, a two-week job readiness experience with a focus on moving from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset.

Tray is currently applying the skills he learned in the program at Godby Hearth & Home, working as an installer. Looking to the future, he hopes to stay in construction and focus on carpentry, which is something he really enjoys doing. No matter where his career path takes him, he feels this experience has helped him “learn how to be a better dad, a better son, a better brother, and a better spouse.”

To learn more about YouthBuild Indy and get connected to future opportunities, visit www.youthbuildindy.org.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – February 8, 2024 – This morning, over 100 Indianapolis high school juniors and seniors met at Martin University for the Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) Indy Regional Career Development Conference. Each student utilized the employability skills they have learned in their JAG classrooms over the course of the past year, competing in challenges such as launching entrepreneurship plans, developing chapter marketing campaigns, providing creative solutions, demonstrating employability skills and critical thinking, and more. 

The JAG Indy program prepares students for the workforce by introducing them to employability skills and different industries, employers, and work experiences.  

“It's amazing to see the hard work that our JAG Indy students put in throughout the year, and then bring to this competition,” said Erika Cheney, Vice President of Career-Connected Learning at EmployIndy. “The career readiness skills and creativity on display here today point to a bright future for our workforce.” 

The Regional JAG Indy Career Development Conference is an opportunity for students to demonstrate their skills, with the top individual from each competition qualifying to attend the State JAG Career Development Conference taking place in March 2024. In addition to recognizing these students’ successes, five individuals were nominated by their JAG Specialist as outstanding senior candidates, an award recognizing select high school seniors who have gone above and beyond in community involvement and are viewed as leaders among their peers.  

“I’m thankful for everyone who supported me during this process. As I prepare for the state competition, l am committed to working even harder,” said Mariska Ogutu, outstanding senior from Ben Davis High School. Mariska was named Region 12’s JAG Outstanding Senior for 2024 and will compete for the top honor against the other eleven workforce development regions in the State.  

This year’s keynote speaker, NBA and WNBA Host/Emcee and Global Brand Marketer, Olivia West, shared inspiring words with students as she set the stage for an outstanding day of competition and collaboration. 

Indianapolis Deputy Mayor Judith Thomas also contributed greatly to the students’ experience with remarks and took the time to congratulate every winner at this year’s award ceremony. 

This event was also successful because of our sponsors, including Gold Level Sponsor WM who has generously supported the Jobs for America’s Graduates program in Marion County.

“We need passionate leaders to advocate on their behalf when they can’t.”

In October, Essence Gray and Josh Morrow had the opportunity to do that very thing. Serving as policy liaisons on the National Youth Employment Coalition’s (NYEC) Youth Advisory Council (YAC), both Indy natives had the chance to travel to Washington D.C. to participate in NYEC’s inaugural Youth Days, an annual event that fosters education and empowerment both of young people and the practitioners who serve them. 

“In many ways, Essence's educational and career journey, with its starts and stops, highs and lows, many due to life happenings and system barriers, is indicative of so many of the Opportunity Youth (OY) we encounter,” said Rev Rodney Francis, Executive Vice President, Workforce Solutions, at EmployIndy. “She has not given up on her dreams and instead persisted. In this way, she’s a leader among her peers.” Through YES Indy, EmployIndy’s Youth Employment System, Gray completed the Power Huddle in April of 2020, a two-week job readiness experience, which helped her develop a growth mindset and an appetite for making positive changes in herself and for her fellow youth. Despite having struggled with homelessness, involvement with the justice system, grief from the tragic loss of loved ones, and system barriers, Gray has remained focused and has taken advantage of the employment training and services offered to her by EmployIndy and its community-based partner organizations, even securing an internship with EmployIndy’s Strategy and Research team at the end of 2020.

While in Washington D.C. for Youth Days, she attended policy meetings, presented at a breakout session on the current challenges for today’s youth, as well as spoke about youth gun violence in Indianapolis and how it has affected her and her community. When asked about other highlights from the trip, she was quick to share that meeting Congressman Andre Carson was a moment she says she will always remember. “His staff was very Hoosier and welcoming, which made me feel like I was back at home,” she said. Walking into his office, Congressman Carson told Gray to have a seat at his desk and that one day “it may very well be your seat.” She spoke with him about the work she would like to do and how he can better help the youth in Indianapolis. 

“These past few months since returning from Washington D.C., I've started a family strengthening class that is helping me to better myself for the ones around me. I’m still doing youth leadership advocacy work but have also tapped into my management skills and now help manage local music artists, as a part of work to help co-found a music record label,” said Gray. 

For Josh Morrow, who has also experienced hardships and struggles with system barriers similar to Gray, it’s about forward movement and continued progress. “Right now, I'm just learning and taking every opportunity,” said Morrow, who first became involved with NYEC through the Community Alliance of the Far Eastside (CAFE), a YES Indy partner organization and referral source for young people looking for career and employment support. “I believe I bring lived experiences and a deep understanding of the skilled trade employment market.” Morrow added about his time thus far serving on the Youth Advisory Council. Since visiting Washington D.C. for Youth Days, Morrow has continued to focus on youth development and employment advocacy, working as a mentor recruiter for Trusted Mentors.

Gray’s and Morrow’s determination toward an upward trajectory underscores the importance that their voices have had and will continue to play at the national level, where critical youth-focused policies are shaped. And as they continue to advocate for themselves and others who are facing barriers to education and employment here in Indianapolis, they will hold their experiences in our nation’s capital close.

Young people, ages 16-24, who are interested in getting connected to barrier-busting support as well as connection to education, training, and job opportunities, are encouraged to visit https://yesindy317.org.