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Persistence earns statewide award
by Staff
A Wilkesboro resident has been named the state's Outstanding Workforce Development Older Youth Governor's Award winner for 2009.
Teresa Mejia-Santos, 23, will receive the award at the N.C. Workforce Development Partnership Conference in Greensboro in October.
The Wilkes County native grew up in a household lacking strong commitment to education. Her parents and brothers dropped out of high school and so did she. "I was ready to be a teenager, not a student," she said.
Mrs. Mejia-Santos landed in a bit of trouble, drifted from job to job for a few years, and then married and had children—now ages 3 and 4. She said thinking about the children's futures helped her realize she needed to become a different kind of role model.
She said she was 20 when she decided to change her life and get her GED. "My children were my primary motivation. I wanted to give them a better life than I'd had."
That decision took her to the Wilkes JobLink Career Center in January 2008, where she enrolled in Get REAL, a youth services initiative funded through the federal Workforce Investment Act and administered by the High Country Workforce Development Board.
Get REAL Career Coach Teri Carter provided a comprehensive set of support services—academic, emotional and financial—to help Mrs. Mejia-Santos make a plan, set goals and work toward achieving those goals.
Academically, math was a huge hurdle for her. Ms. Carter hired a math tutor for Mrs. Mejia-Santos with Workforce Investment Act funds, but she skipped her first tutoring session. "I told myself that it was hopeless, that it isn't going to help. But Teri talked to me and I started going," she said.
GED class attendance also became a problem when Mrs. Mejia-Santos decided she couldn't succeed, even though Get REAL paid for transportation and childcare so she could devote time to academics. Ms. Carter again encouraged and supported Mrs. Mejia-Santos while making her choice clear—stay in school or exit the program. Her two children provided the rest of her motivation.
After almost a year of study, Mrs. Mejia-Santos earned her GED. She also took advantage of the many workshops and seminars at the JobLink Career Center, covering topics like doing taxes, budgeting and applications.
The next step was to get some solid work experience.
Ms. Carter placed her with Samaritan Christian Ministry, where Mrs. Mejia-Santos staffed the front desk and used her fluent Spanish to assist many of the people who came in for help. "I loved it," she said. "I love working with people. Sometimes it's hard, but I just need to get over my shyness."
With two goals achieved and her negative inner voice exerting much less control, Mrs. Mejia-Santos' next step was to land a good job.
Ms. Carter helped her select outfits appropriate for office work and Get REAL paid for the clothes. Ms. Carter also helped her develop a solid résumé, conducted mock interviews to help her overcome nervousness and helped her complete numerous job applications.
"She applied for a lot of jobs and she interviewed for some jobs she didn't get. But she has been persistent, recognizing that disappointment isn't going to crush her. Her self-confidence level has definitely gone up," said Ms. Carter, who nominated Mrs. Mejia-Santos for the Outstanding Workforce Development Older Youth Governor's Award.
Her persistence paid off. On Dec. 1, 2008, Mrs. Mejia-Santos began work at CompuCredit in Wilkesboro as a collections assistant. She is proud of her job and speaks highly of her co-workers.
After the mandatory six-month probationary period, she received a raise and became eligible for paid time off at the company. This arrangement permits schedule flexibility, which is helpful for workers like Mrs. Mejia-Santos with young children.
"She's a real success story in every aspect," Ms. Carter said. "She still has a rocky road, but she is maintaining her job and I am really, really proud of her. She took full advantage of every service we offered. I could count on her to attend every workshop. She was willing to do whatever it took to succeed."
Building on her many successes, Mrs. Mejia-Santos now has another goal: a college education. "Honestly, I would like to be a juvenile probation officer," she said. "I've been through everything and I think I can help them."
For more about Get REAL youth services, call the Wilkes JobLink Career Center at 651-2540. |
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