SUCCESS STORIES: Meet James

"As a young boy, James was abandoned by his parents and spent most of his childhood in and out of foster homes.  As a troubled youth, he also became a familiar face in the juvenile justice system and entered the youth program at age 14.  This is the kind of child many people think stands no chance of rehabilitation and no chance of becoming a productive member of society. In the last years of his incarceration, however, James realized that his teachers and the Auxiliary did care about him.  He earned his GED and his high school diploma.  After leaving the youth program, James received guidance and financial assistance from the Auxiliary and began a real college career.  He started his post-secondary work at Butte College in Oroville and completed his Associate in Arts degree at Contra Costa College in San Pablo, California.  In August of 2009, with further support from the Auxiliary, James was accepted as a transfer student to Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, where he graduated 2011 with his Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice. 

This is an amazing story, but there are many other teens like James, young men and women who need our support and attention.  The Auxiliary provides career counseling to teens like James before they leave the Hall, and provides financial assistance to those seeking academic and vocational degrees as they enter the real world. The Auxiliary currently supports 32 at-risk scholars who are working toward an academic or vocational credential!  The Auxiliary is currently working to expand both its career development and mentor programs so that even more at-risk young men and women can successfully return to society and lead more positive, productive, self-reliant lives."