YouthBuild Holds First Completion Ceremony at Petoskey Site

There was a lot to celebrate June 29 at the Completion Ceremony for the first ever graduating class at the Petoskey site of YouthBuild Northwest. The students spent a total of more than 2000 hours working on a local Habitat for Humanity home and also completed more than 500 hours of community service work. Along with all that the students still found time to earn their GEDs or improve their basic academic skills while also earning a nationally recognized construction certification.

"YouthBuild taught me a new way of life," said Robert Ladd, a YouthBuild student. "It taught me how to make goals and how to achieve them."

"It's done a lot of good for me," said Megghan Golovich. "It's something that really works for people."

YouthBuild staff members told the students by completing the program they were off to a good start and that the only sure way to change their future was to do it themselves.

"YouthBuild is more like a family to me," said Jeno Mitchem, a YouthBuild student. "I believe YouthBuild is one of those things that everybody that either dropped out of high school or didn't get their GED should do."

"It's a great program, it really helps," said Golovich. "I can't even find words to explain how much fun and how great this program is."

The first graduating class at the Petoskey, Michigan site of YouthBuild Northwest was recognized at a completion ceremony. Watch the video to find out more about the ceremony and to hear comments from some of the YouthBuild students.