In 2010 Darian Boone stopped going to school at Merganthaler Vocational – Technical High School (Mervo) for a variety of reasons; Mervo just wasn’t a good match for him. Darian spent several years trying to get back into a Baltimore City public school until he became too old to enroll. 

During those years Darian was employed most of the time, working in restaurants and as a banquet server for Centerplate at the Baltimore Convention Center. Then he realized, “I need more of an education to advance my pay rate; I need to get motivated.” 

James Knight earned his high school diploma from Achievement Academy at Harbor City High School in 2011. “Then I fell into a real rough patch and I wasted a year running the streets and just hanging around. I had lost my dad in 2009 and life just hit me all at once. I wasn’t able to cope with it all,” James shared.

In June of 2012 James’ daughter was born and he realized, “It was time for me to be a man. When she was born it was a new game for me.”

Today, Baltimore City residents between the ages of 14 and 21 can begin the 2017 YouthWorks summer jobs registration process by applying online at http://youthworks.oedworks.com. 

In spring 2016, Kevin was released from prison and placed on home monitoring. He desperately wanted a fresh start, but was well aware that his theft offense was going to hinder him from moving to the next phase of his life.