Meet Our Youth
They inspire us every day; they are the heartbeat of our programs;
OUR YOUTH.
Youth and Alumni of the Year
Every year, three outstanding youth from our premier program, Jobs for Michigan's Graduates (JMG), are recognized for their leadership skills. Two current program participants and one alumni receive this annual recognition for their success and accomplishments in the program and beyond.
Year - Name - JMG Program
2015 - Le'Trece Gonzalez - Woodcreek Achievement Center
2016 - Luke Wagner - Kalamazoo RESA
2016 - Takyeshia Spicer - Detroit Employment Solutions
2017 - Daniell Doctor - JMG-LEAP
2018 - Natasha Rzanca - Gwinn High School
2018 - DeAnthony Purnell - Flint Southwestern
2019 - Chloressa Wren - Northwestern High School
2019 - Lewis Williams - Cody Academy of Public Leadership
2019 - Caitlin Steele - Hartford High School
2019 - Tamia Clay - Benton Harbor High School
2020 - Juwan Trainer - Ingham County Jail
2020 - Cheyenne McMillion - Kalamazoo County
2020 - Kyra Gibson - Marquette Alger Technical Middle College
2021 - Melanie Gunn - Michigan Works! Southwest
2021 - Amari McKinney - Bridge Academy
2021 - Crystal Steele - Hartford High School
2022 - Delann Pillivant - Pershing High School
2022 - Samantha Finch - Marquette-Alger Technical Middle College
2022 - Irais Cortez - Hartford High School
Where are they now?
TK Thomas
JMG Class of 2022 at Flint Southwestern Classical Academy
What are you doing now? Did you go to college, a trade school, employment, or into the military? If so, where?
TK will be attending Morehouse College, an HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) in Atlanta, Georgia where he plans to major in Psychology and minor in Business.
Coffee with a Purpose
Raising the Youth Voice
Many of our youth have taken the opportunity to be involved in our virtual conversations, Coffee with a Purpose. By giving youth this platform and encouraging them to use their voice for good, we get insider information directly from the youth we serve about topics that matter to them.
02/16/22 - Change Makers: Empowering YOUth through Civic Engagement
Jairo Lopez - Youth Solutions
Christian Dunn - GST Michigan Works!
Tyjah Covington - Youth Solutions
10/06/21 - Unique Opportunities in Nontraditional Careers: A Youth Discussion
Cheyenne Holcomb - UP Michigan Works!
Isabelle Bernard - UP Michigan Works!
LaZae Mosely - DESC
03/23/21 - The Pandemic's Effect on Youth Disengagement from Education and Employment
Juwan Trainor - Capital Area Michigan Works!
Antane Hayes - DESC
02/08/21- Youth Leadership Development and Civic Engagement
Crystal Steel - Youth Solutions
Nolan Henson - GST Michigan Works!
Kaitlyn Delong - Youth Solutions
09/30/20 - Striving for Racial Equity: Youth Voice on Education and Employment
Karla Robles - Youth Solutions
Julius Draughan - DESC
Avery Birch - SEMCA
8/13/20 - Striving for Racial Equity: Youth Perspectives, Concerns, and Calls to Action
Tamia Clay - Youth Soutions
Mikya Coleman - SEMCA
David Carter - SEMCA
05/12/22 - Youth Discuss Mental Health and the Impact of Social Emotional Learning
Lydia Fraser - MATMC
Hannah Wyman - West Michigan Works!
Mani Mesh - Great Lakes Bay Michigan Works!
05/27/21 - Mental Health Awareness: A Youth Perspective
Hannah Wyman - West Michigan Works!
Chelsea Smith - Great Lakes Bay Michigan Works!
Christian Dunn - GST Michigan Works!
Amari McKinney - Michigan Works! Berrien Cass Van Buren
11/10/20 - Striving for Racial Equity: Youth Call to Action
TeKeirdra Masters - Youth Solutions
Delann Pillivant - DESC
06/24/20 - COVID-19: The Pandemic's Impact on Michigan Youth
Kyra Gibson - UP Michigan Works!
Delann Pillivant - DESC
Michael Kirby - Youth Solutions
Stay Connected
Check out some of the ways our youth can get involved and stay connected- even after graduation!
Youth Spotlight
Attending college classes as a high school student and speaking about my experiences in public — it’s scary, but my Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates experiences prepared me for it. Being a female in a male-dominated field could be intimidating, but with more young ladies as mentors and apprentices, it’s less scary. It’s now my reality and my goal.
Cheyenne Holcomb
Negaunee High School and Marquette Alger Technical Middle College
Cardaja Harkins
Ecourse Community High School
JMG has meant a great deal to me. It has taught me so much about my schooling and has also lead me on the right path to my future.
Career Development Conference
Submissions
The Career Development Conference (CDC) is Youth Solutions’ annual event where youth have the opportunity to showcase the skills they have learned throughout the year in the Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates program. Check out the 2022 Chapter Marketing submissions below.
2022 First Place Chapter Marketing Winners
Congratulations to our our 2022 Chapter Marketing winners! Their passion for JMG truly showed through their talent and creativity. Watch the 1st place video, “Our Voices, Our Choices” submitted by our youth from Bridge Academy of Southwest Michigan!