Student’s idea wins $1,500 grant for entire YouthBuild Houston team
HOUSTON (November 1, 2010) – Some ideas are priceless, but YouthBuild Houston participant Jonathan Gonzalez has turned his into a $1,500 grant win for HoustonWorks USA. Gonzalez, 19, has won the America’s Promise Alliance and AT&T My Idea local grant and will be honored at the awards ceremony on November 6, 2010 in Hershey, Penn.
“It’s really an honor to have won this award and it feels good that I’m going to share this with all the others in YouthBuild,” Gonzalez said. “I wrote about where we all wanted to go in life and what we needed to get there.”
Gonzalez’s grant application, entitled “Student Portfolio,” was designed to secure resources to provide YouthBuild Houston students with a leather-bound portfolio to hold copies of resumes, letters of recommendations and certifications – all to give a head start on their first job hunt. Gonzalez entered the program in October 2009 after dropping out of Sam Houston High School. After entering the YouthBuild Houston program, he has earned both his GED and National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) certification and now plans to attend Lone Star College.
“HoustonWorks USA shares this honor with Jonathan as his success not only represents YouthBuild Houston, but also serves as a sign of the differences we strive to make in the lives of today’s youth.” Larry V. Green, CEO, HoustonWorks USA, said.
In the YouthBuild Houston program, at-risk young people, ages 18-24, work toward their GEDs and work certifications, learn job skills and serve their communities by constructing low-income housing. Participants, all former high school dropouts, receive hands-on training working with Houston Habitat for Humanity and perform hundreds of community service hours in minor home repairs for the elderly.
About HoustonWorks USA:
Founded in 1984, HoustonWorks USA is the leading provider of services focusing on job placement, continuing education and vocational training. Serving more than 1 million annually, HoustonWorks USA provides job seekers with a variety of workshops including job search techniques, interviewing skills and resume writing, or use of the resource library with Internet access and postings of local, state and national job openings. Training is also available in career fields such as healthcare, business, computers and education. HoustonWorks USA manages several of the largest Workforce Solutions offices in Houston and the surrounding region for the Houston Galveston Area Council. These offices offer a wide range of services for job seekers as well as employers looking for trained workers. HoustonWorks also provides numerous youth programs including internships, scholarships, summits and summer camps. HoustonWorks is a 501(c) 3, tax-exempt organization. Visit www.houstonworks.org for additional information.
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