Posts by Don Spangler

Quick Take. With few opportunities in her hometown, Jaylene Hernandez moved to Tucson, AZ with her entire family where she attended Pima Community College and worked part-time. She hoped to transfer to a four-year institution but soon realized that the cost was prohibitive. Not sure of her next steps, Jaylene visited the Youth Employment Center,…

Liam Chavez: Finding Help, Community, and Promise for the Future Quick Take: Liam Chavez overcame physical and mental health challenges in childhood and adolescence by channeling his energies into academic success. Uncertain of a career path after college, he found the Unity Council, where he completed a WIOA-funded program that placed him on a path…

Quick Take. Hannah Johns overcame a difficult childhood in rural Nebraska to complete high school, enroll in community college, and, with the help of the state Department of Labor, land a full-time paid internship with Riverside Discovery Center, a park and zoo complex. Early Life. Hannah was raised in Garing, a small community in western…