Job Corps showed me there was a better path, than what I was on. These words came from Erick Carnes as she just graduated from the University of Phoenix, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice. Erica was a student at Perkins Job Corps Center in Prestonsburg, KY, in 2009, coming to Job Corps after her father told her about the program. Erica came with no high school diploma and not much chance of getting one she thought, Erica stated that school was not a big priority for her and she was hanging out with the wrong crowd and making wrong decisions. When she enrolled in the Job Corps Program, she completed things she thought she would never do. She eventually got her high school diploma and completed the culinary trade. When she graduated Job Corps and returned to her home in Clearwater, FL, she began working immediately, but Erica said she still was not where she wanted to be. This is what prompted her to enroll in college. Erica stated that she would have never thought about college if it hadn’t been for Job Corps. Erica worked two jobs at a cleaning service and a customer service representative while going to college. She said without the Job Corps program teaching her structure, work ethic, and being mentored by center staff, that this day would not have been possible. Erica is excited to say that she is going on to get her Master’s Degree in Forensic Science and wants to thank Job Corps for accepting her into the program and showing her a better path in life.