Teens Taught to Succeed
At-Risk Youth are Shown Hope for the Future Through Cherokee Youth Works
Each weekday afternoon, the office at Cherokee FOCUS is filled with teens, up to 20 a day, who may have been discarded, given up on or pushed aside. Many have faced poverty, abuse, and other tragic circumstances. But for the time spent in the meeting room of the 850-square-foot house in Holly Springs, they are encouraged, given hope and guidance for a better future. The results are often life-changing. The Cherokee Youth Works (CYW) began four years ago through a partnership of Cherokee FOCUS and funding from the Atlanta Regional Commission Workforce Investment Act. The CYW staff works to keep at-risk teenagers in high school, and help dropouts to obtain a GED and continue on to higher edu- cation or enter the workforce. The program …
