“I always believed I was stupid. Earning my diploma made me realize I’m not,” said one of JEVS’ recent Diversion & Re-entry Services program graduates.
The comment is revealing: gaining a high school diploma not only expands employment opportunities but also fundamentally changes an individual’s self-view.
Because completing JEVS’ The Choice is Yours (TCY) and Safe and Sound (SAS) programs is a significant accomplishment. Through an accelerated Penn Foster high school completion track, participants take more than 100 exams, answer more than 6,000 questions, and write three essays over a ten-week period.
Each diploma represents not only academic achievement but also a second chance.
A future not defined by the past
On a hot summer morning at the Ethical Society in Philadelphia, Nigel Bowe, JEVS Vice President of Diversion & Re-entry Services, reminded the graduates that they had earned it. “You’re here because you kept moving forward,” he said. “You didn’t quit. You proved that mistakes don’t determine your future and that setbacks don’t have the final word.”
When the class representatives stepped up to the microphone, they also spoke about the challenges they overcame.
Valedictorian Kenyon G. reflected on how difficult it was to believe in herself again, sharing that “every time I started over, life seemed to hit me even harder.” But entering JEVS’ Safe and Sound program marked a turning point. For the first time in years, she felt “seen, supported, and understood.”
Getting accepted into Penn Foster, she added, “reminded me that my story was not over and that I still deserved a future.”
Salutatorian Rony R. shared a similar experience. He credited his advisor, David Tilapa, and his teacher, Dr. Alberta Lloyd, for helping him succeed. “I wanted the opportunity to rewrite my story, and it has been given to me.”
He also spoke about the environment of the program. The class was “a safe space,” where participants could “be honest about our struggles, express ourselves without shame, and support one another without judgment.” As he put it, “we heal while we learn.”
Moving forward with confidence
In total, fourteen graduates from JEVS’ TCY and SAS programs earned their high school diplomas. Now, they can continue building their skills through additional job training and certification programs at JEVS. Most importantly, they leave with greater confidence and a new perspective about what they’re capable of as they move forward on paths to independence.
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