Success Stories from District 1

Felipe Mendez

Hoke County

Hoke County High School 

Pre-Employment Transition Services Program

Felipe Mendez, a graduating senior from the Hoke County High School class of 2023, embarked on his journey with the Pre-ETS program during his junior year in the spring of 2022. Initially, Felipe expressed a strong interest in computer building, but he felt uncertain about how to transform his passion into a viable career that would secure a sustainable future for himself, while also fostering his independence as an individual with a disability. In class, Felipe shared his desire to have a successful career as they do, not only for personal fulfillment, but also as a means of expressing gratitude to his family for their unwavering support and inspiration.

The Pre-ETS program played a pivotal role in nurturing Felipe's natural charisma and strengthening his determination. With the program's curriculum and the guidance of his career advisor’s, Felipe gained increased self-confidence and focus on his aspirations. He actively engaged in career exploration, refined workplace readiness skills such as interviewing and resume creation, and honed his interpersonal abilities by eagerly participating in class activities, emerging as an exemplary student within the program.

Drawing upon the knowledge gained through Pre-ETS, Felipe began studying for the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery), AND secured his first job during the spring while still in school. He started working part-time at Burger King as a cook to gain work experience as well as earn money to save for college. Felipe successfully applied the valuable lessons learned in Pre-ETS to his life, including understanding employer expectations, rights and responsibilities, conflict resolution techniques, and budgeting and money management.

Felipe successfully completed a full year of the Pre-ETS program in May of 2023. His dedication and growth throughout the program have given him a newfound sense of direction and confidence. He plans to continue working at Burger King while prepping for the ASVAB and preparing for his next chapter.

In the fall, Felipe eagerly looks forward to enrolling at Fayetteville Tech to pursue a degree in Computer Programming & Development. He envisions serving as an officer in the United States Navy, specializing as an Information Systems Technician.

Felipe expresses deep gratitude to the Pre-ETS program for helping him overcome his hesitations and providing him with a clearer path towards achieving his aspirations.

Alexander Sledge

Richmond County

Richmond Senior High School 

Pre-Employment Transition Services Program

Alexander Sledge - a freshman attending Richmond Senior High School who participated in the

Pre-Employment Transition Service. He struggled some during class and we worked with him on improving staying focused during class and working on his assignments.

After participating in the Pre-Employment Transition Service Program, Alexander stated he “learned more about how his disability could be used as an advantage to help him during class”. He also stated how he thought his ability to multi-task would help him in the workplace, but he would need to use the skills taught during Pre-ETS on self-regulating his behavior and redirecting his focus.

Throughout the program, he continually participated in each class as well as demonstrated a positive attitude. Alexander was successful in improving his attention and focus in order to complete assignments for school and the Pre-ETS program.             

Ashanti Shields

Moore County

Union Pines High School 

Pre-Employment Transition Services Program

Ashanti Shields has proven herself to be an exceptional student graduating from Union Pines High School and completing Pre-ETS; Job Exploration, Workplace Readiness, Self-Advocacy, and Post-Secondary Training earning her certificate in her final semester of Union Pines.

Ashanti displayed great dedication to her Pre-ETS course work, set career, and personal goals for herself. Ashanti's career pathway is to become a Chef with hopes of one day owning her own restaurant. Ashanti's educational goal after high school is to attend Sandhills Community College for Culinary Arts.

Ashanti is excited about attending college and has already started her enrollment process with her parents to attend Sandhills Community College. Ashanti is excited about making her family proud of her by attending college and making a better life for herself. She is excited about her future.

Ashanti has proven herself to be a natural leader, dedicated, and committed to learning the job skills needed for her future. Ashanti is well liked by her peers and superiors; always ready to help where she is needed. She would often share her personal experiences with classmates and offer support to less confident classmates in practicing workplace skills.

Sandra Hollmond

Hoke County

Hoke County High School 

Pre-Employment Transition Services Program

Sandra Hollmond has proven herself to be an exceptional student graduating from Hoke County High School and completing Pre-ETS (Pre-Employment Transition Services); Job Exploration, Workplace Readiness, Self-Advocacy, and Post -Secondary Training earning her a certificate her final semester at Hoke County High. Sandra has shown great dedication to her Pre-ETS course work, setting career and personal goals for herself. Sandra's career pathway is to become a child care worker with hopes of one day owning her very own daycare center. Sandra's educational goal is to attend Sandhills Community College after High school for early childhood education. She has already started the process of enrollment with her job coach. 

While in the Pre-ETS program Sandra became employed with First Health in Hoke County in the childcare department. Although she only works a couple of hours a week she was ecstatic that she was taking steps towards her future. She was very excited as she went through the interviewing and hiring process and used the skills that she had learned from Pre-ETS program to practice for her interview at First Health. Sandra told the Career Adviser that she is “determined” to reach her career goals. 

Sandra was the first to graduate from High School in her family, She shared with the Career Adviser that she “wants to make a difference in children’s lives”. Sandra has been a light to her classmates always ready to encourage and the first to raise her hand to practice workplace skills. Sandra has learned the art of turning lemons to lemonade. She would arrive to class early often just so that she could talk with the Career Advisors to ask questions when she didn’t know something. Sandra has proven herself to be a success way beyond the classroom. Sandra recently earned a Scholarship from her employer “First Health” to attend Sandhills Community College. Sandra is a real class act, she is determined and focused and has proven that when students work hard it pays off in a great way.

Dewantai Watts

Anson County

Anson High School 

Pre-Employment Transition Services Program

Dewantai Watts is a senior who attended Anson Senior High School. Throughout the past year, he struggled with maintaining his grades and attending online classes during the pandemic. After participating in the Pre-Employment Transition Service Program in the spring of 2021; he has identified a career path, improved his attendance and is exceeding his expectations academically. He identified and removed barriers that were leading him away from the path of success. Dewantai is currently working as a Volunteer Firefighter and is pursuing his dream of becoming a full-time employee at a local fire department.  His future plan is to attend South Piedmont Community College and obtain his Fire Fighting Training Certification. Dewantai stated he looks forward to achieving his goals he learned to set while participating in the Pre-Employment Transition Services Program. 

Bobby Sinclair

Hoke County

Hoke County High School 

Pre-Employment Transition Services Program

Bobby Sinclair began Pre-ETS (Pre-Employment Transition Services) program with employment and a Senior at Hoke County High School. He was and is currently a Sales Associate at Auto Zone in Hoke County. Bobby has a passion for working on cars. His career goal is to be a mechanic and one day own his own Auto Shop. Bobby has shown nothing less than a strong work ethic and dedication to his craft, completing Auto Mechanic 1 and 2 while at Hoke County High and maintain full time employment while enrolled in High School.

He would come to Pre-ETS sessions and go to work afterwards and whenever he could not finish his session work or skills he would make arrangements with Lead Career Advisor to complete his assignments on another day. Bobby's goal for Post-Secondary Training is to attend Sandhills Community College or Universal Technical Institute for Automotive Technician Training, He told the Career Advisor that it was a tough choice because they both have great mechanic programs. His family is a huge support for him, he told Career Adviser that he wants to make them very proud of him. 

Bobby was a big brother to many of his classmates proving himself to be a true leader, team player and builder. He would often share his work experience with his classmates and offer support to less confident classmates in practicing workplace skills.

He has proven himself time and time again in Pre-ETS group sessions that he is not only responsible but has a great sense of self-awareness of who he is and where he wants to be.