Scholarship Winner is Grateful that Youth Advocate Programs’ Services Extend to Entire Family
This story is part of an ongoing series featuring the 2018 Youth Advocate Programs, Inc. (YAP) Tom Jeffers Endowment Fund for Continuing Education Scholarship award winners
A key to Youth Advocate Programs (YAP) Inc.’s success is that the program advocates for the entire family of each individual it serves. YAP applies this effective model to its diverse programs across the nation and in other countries.
Madison Washington is grateful that YAP’s holistic family support continues when individuals and families complete the organization’s programs. When one of her siblings was being served by YAP earlier this year, Madison enrolled in YAP’s Workforce Connections program.
Madison said the program taught her important skills that made her a better employee at her job as a cashier. For example, she became more empathetic, knowing that a customer’s difficult behavior could be tied to personal hardships that have nothing to do with her.
“Madison has been positive since day one, never has missed a day of work and is always giving her best, whether at the office or at work,” said Yadirra Ramos, who manages the YAP workforce development program in Las Vegas.
Madison said her work experience and time with Yadirra also let her know that she wants to have a future that includes more than a nine-to-five job. She wants to be prepared to pursue a career that she loves.
“My current goals and aspirations are to go to college so that when I graduate I can have a job that makes me happy,” she said.
Madison begins college in the fall of 2018 at Dixie State University in St. George, Utah. She also recently learned that she is one of YAP’s 2018 Tom Jeffers Endowment Fund for Continuing Education scholarship winners.
Madison said the scholarship will help her with college expenses — that the financial assistance will help her focus on college without having to be distracted by financial struggles.
“I want to enjoy the experience of college and everything I’m going to learn from it,” she said.
Yadirra said she is confident those who are fortunate enough to meet Madison along her journey will be just as impressed with her as she and her YAP team are.
