“Since I’ve graduated from YTEC I’ve proven to the community that
I am a changed man. I‘ve stopped smoking, drinking, and stopped
being a criminal.” YTEC Participant

“YTEC is about finding a new path, if we can learn how to succeed
in school we can get involved in more positive things than
using drugs.” YTEC participant

How YTEC Helped One Teen Realize Her Potential

At age 16, Marta had already missed more than 200 days of school over the previous two years. She had repeatedly been arrested for shoplifting and breaking into a neighbor’s house. She was also stealing hard liquor to support a drinking habit that had started when she was 13. Her uncle had abused her but Marta says that her mother wouldn’t believe her when she told her mother what had happened. When Marta wound up in the juvenile justice system, the judge sent her to YTEC. Now, one year after starting the program, Marta has caught up with her age group in school, is completely alcohol-free, and plans to attend college to become a counselor. She wants to help other girls who are as lost and confused as she was.