Veronica is a 2023 Wooster High School Graduate who is working her way to a bright future. Last year she won the T-shirt design contest at the statewide Career Development Conference and recently returned to her high school to speak to seniors. Immediately after graduation, Veronica entered the workforce as a casino sales associate, has already been promoted and will transfer to the HVAC department to begin learning a skilled trade!
High school was not the greatest experience for Veronica, but she has not closed the door on college. She spoke positively about the skills she learned in J4NG and how they directly benefit her in the “real world,” including resume writing, conducting a job interview, networking, relationship building, budgeting, communication with all types of people, and handling difficult customers.
Veronica spoke about how life changes after graduation and how people, including family, begin to see youth as adults with changing expectations. More responsibility comes with paying rent and bills, but also more freedom. She stressed the need for developing good skills and habits now to ensure that graduates stay on track as they balance freedom and responsibility, adding that people are still available for support, if you just ask, but ultimately you are accountable for your decisions.
Her Specialist, Christopher Tabarez, (Coach T) said, “Veronica is 100% a J4NG success story and a clear example of how, in a short time, J4NG can change the lives of students by arming them with the skills to be successful in the professional world.
“A year ago, she was in the exact shoes of many of the current students, a few months from graduation and no concrete idea of how she would proceed in life. It was extremely powerful to have her communicate her experience to the students.”
