YouthBuild of South Central Illinois

⚙️ Huge thank you to Ken Harrison and the incredible team at Magnum Steel Works in Mt. Vernon, IL! ⚙️
Our YouthBuild students had the amazing opportunity to tour their state-of-the-art facility, and it was an unforgettable experience. From the moment we arrived, we were met with a welcoming atmosphere that made our students feel right at home. It was fascinating to see the scale of local manufacturing up close, but the most impactful part was the inspiration our youth took away. Seeing the precision, dedication, and teamwork required in this industry gave our students a powerful vision for what they can achieve in their own futures. Thank you, Magnum Steel Works, for investing your time in the next generation and supporting our community's youth! 🛠️✨

July was an incredibly busy and inspiring month at YouthBuild! We want to extend a massive thank you to our amazing community partners and guest speakers who took the time to invest in our students.

A special shout-out to:
*Rylan Crane, Matthew Suntrup, and Josh Hackworth for an incredible tour of the Mt. Vernon Airport and speaking with our group.

*Lauren Berry and Jamie Storey from the Mt. Vernon Chamber of Commerce for inspiring our students and hosting such fun games.

*Seth Powell from Powell Seamless Gutters for sharing your invaluable knowledge and insights. Very inspirational!

Your words were incredibly inspiring, and our students were fully engaged and energized by everything they learned!Want to make a difference? If you own a local business or have a special talent and would love the chance to inspire young minds, we want to hear from you! Please give YouthBuild a call at 618-242-6723 to get involved.

Come visit the Calumet Street Church YouthBuild information table to learn about the program and the opportunities it offers. Enrollment begins in September! Here until 4:00 pm

Big congratulations to Alana! 🎉 She has officially completed all aspects of the YouthBuild program and successfully earned her GED! 🎓✨
Alana, we are so incredibly proud of your hard work, dedication, and resilience. Wishing you the absolute best of luck as you take your next big step into the culinary program at Rend Lake College! 👩‍🍳🔪
We know you are going to do amazing things in the future. Join us in celebrating Alana’s massive achievement in the comments below! 👇❤️

🎉 Huge thanks to Ashlee from Ashlee's Batter and Bliss for visiting us today! She shared her inspiring business journey and treated the students to a hands-on lesson in making her delicious cinnamon rolls. The room smelled incredible, and the students loved learning from a pro! 🧑‍🍳✨

The YouthBuild students are hard at work on the house! 🛠️ Today, they gained hands-on experience and learned how to install flooring. It looks great, guys! Keep up the good work!

🌟 Celebrating community, fun, and bittersweet goodbyes! 🌟

Yesterday was an incredible day for our YouthBuild crew! Our hard-working students rolled up their sleeves to help set up for the Spero picnic. The weather completely cooperated, and everyone had an absolute blast working together outside. ☀️

🍔Before the picnic kicked off, we also took some time to celebrate a very special milestone: the retirement of the amazing Gina Ellis. Gina, we cannot thank you enough for the profound impact you have had on our YouthBuild students over the years. From spoiling them with your famous homemade treats to guiding them through meaningful spiritual sessions, you have truly been a blessing to our program. You will be deeply missed, but we wish you the absolute best in your well-deserved retirement! 🕊️❤️

Check out a few highlights from our day below! 👇

A huge, heartfelt THANK YOU to the Jefferson County HCE! 🌟

Your generous snack donation is fueling our YouthBuild students and making a massive difference in the classroom. It is hard for our young adults to focus on their GED studies and vocational training when they are hungry. Your kindness keeps their energy up and their minds sharp! Thank you for continuing to support the future of our Mt. Vernon youth. We appreciate you! ❤️🛠️

🚨 Lifesavers in the making! 🚨

Yesterday, our amazing YouthBuild students spent their day learning crucial, life-saving skills. We are so proud to announce that every single one of them successfully completed their CPR and First Aid class and are now officially certified to save a life! ❤️🩹💪From learning how to respond in emergencies to mastering hands-on techniques, our students stepped up in a big way. These are lifelong skills that give them the confidence to act when it matters most. Whether on the job site or in the community, we now have a group of young leaders ready to make a difference. Join us in congratulating our crew on this fantastic achievement! 🎉👏