About Jayden:

I’m a young man who has been through many challenges, but who has overcome them. I’m a hard-working overachiever with many life plans. I write poetry and motivational quotes, and make music from time to time. My plan in life is to one day open my own charter school to help people who could wind up like me. I want to give people the opportunities they truly deserve. Until I have the funding and support needed, I plan on going to get my certification in school.

Jayden’s Background: What Brought Him to Look for a HSE Class

Well, growing up for me was hard because I never had the chance to be a kid and had to learn to take care of myself by 9 years old. Growing up, I never really had the chance to settle down, being that I would move around with my mother a lot and she raised me on her own. My mother worked a lot, almost 12-15 hours a day, so she would never be home. Once we moved to Wilmington, Delaware, my life took a turn for the worse and I got caught up in the street life. I began being in and out of placements once I moved back to Lancaster, shortly after being in jail twice, all before the age of 18.

How IU13 Community Education Classes at CareerLink Helped

The IU13 Community Education class at CareerLink has done much more than just help me complete my goals. This program has given me a second chance and hope that my dreams are still possible because getting my diploma is still possible.

Jayden’s Next Steps

I plan to further my education at Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Keystone to get my HVAC so I can be a better provider for my girlfriend and daughter. I want to start moving in the right direction to reach my end goals.

Advice for Future and Perspective Students

Every loss is a lesson to help you reach success at its fullest potential, so never give up. Trust the process, take it one day at a time, and grind hard even on your days off; your dreams and goals will be met. So always remember: nothing good comes easy in life. It’s all about how bad you want [to achieve your goals] and what you’re willing to endure to [reach them].

Update: In early March, Jayden earned his HSE!