It’s graduation season! To celebrate and acknowledge the 475+ JMG 2022 graduates, the Youth Solutions Youth Advisory Council (YAC), a group of current and alumni JMG students, planned a fun, motivational and moving graduation celebration. The event was hosted by YAC member, Saba Khan, from Michigan Works! Southwest and included a powerful speech from Keynote Speaker, Psyche Terry, co-founder and CEO of Urban Hydration. Psyche’s encouraging message helped our graduates answer the looming question: Now what? Except Psyche’s definition of WHAT, is a bit different: W = Wonder! Empower yourself with the thought of wondering. What wonder would you love to consider? What’s your wonder? H = Have fun! You did it! You did the hard work, went to class, took your tests and now you’re done. Time to celebrate! You deserve to have fun, and if it’s not fun reconsider it because you are worth a smile, a giggle and laughter that is embedded inside of you. A = Be Audacious! Figure out a way to get the things you want. Choose the stars, go after them and follow through. T = Time! Take your time to wonder.
Coming off the graduation party which included swag and a laptop prize, we are excited to keep in touch with our alumni to learn of their future successes through our newly launched Youth Solutions Alumni Network. Two of our 2022 Youth of the Year winners, Irais Cortez and Samantha Finch, also delivered inspirational speeches to our graduates. In the words of Irais Cortez, JMG youth from Hartford High School, “You are the leaders of the future, so go out and do amazing things.” The Youth Advisory Council is excited to continue the tradition of hosting the Graduation Celebration and is looking forward to next year’s celebration. A recording of the event can be found here.
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