Nearly 3 dozen students to graduate from YouthBuild Program

Program helps 16-to 24-year-olds earn a high school diploma

SAN ANTONIO – This week, 32 students will graduate from a program called YouthBuild, by the nonprofit SA Youth.

The program helps 16-to 24-year-olds earn a high school diploma and other certifications, get job training and a stipend to attend classes.

“After they graduate, we place them in a job. We help them with interview skills, how to write their resume, how to build their resume,” Asia Ciaravino, president and CEO of SA Youth, said.

Aaron, a student, is 23 and making big changes in his life.

“It not only helped me in life financially because of the stipend that helps us, but it also helped me think better and read better,” Aaron said.

In middle school, Aaron joined a gang before dropping out of high school and becoming a father of two children.

“I was going down a bad path,” Aaron said.

Currently, Youthbuild has a waiting list of about 50 students for its program and can take around 35 students at a time.

The graduation ceremony is June 7 at 7 p.m. at Sendero Assembly of God.


About the Authors:

Tiffany Huertas is a reporter for KSAT 12 known for her in-depth storytelling and her involvement with the community.

Jason Foster is an executive producer at KSAT. He's worked in the news industry in Texas for more than 15 years, including as a photojournalist, and been at KSAT since 2015.