I am a product of federally funded programs. Born in 1957 in New Jersey, I was in and out of reform schools or juvenile state institutions since the time that I was 9 years of age. By the time I was 20 years old, I had no job, no job skills or training, and no high school diploma.

I entered the Job Corps Program in Clearfield, Utah and took both Business Clerical and Bookkeeping trades. My program was two years long. I knew I had to complete the Job Corps Program and obtain my high school diploma if I was to survive and keep myself out of the prison system. I completed both my trades and obtained my GED before being sent to Minneapolis, MN for advance training. While in Minneapolis, I obtained my real first job at North Western National Bank at the age of 21. I later became a recruiter for the Job Corps Program and then a Career Transition Specialist.

Today I am employed as the Marketing and Placement Specialist and Sr. Officer for VLS IT Consulting Inc. as well as being the president and owner of my own company. I have become a positive, productive, taxpaying citizen with plans to create jobs for the citizens in my community. Because of federally funded programs, I am not in prison as an inmate, costing the state money. I am bringing in revenue.

Data sources

• U.S. Census Bureau, “American FactFinder,” 2007 American Community Survey (accessed May 2011). Data came from the following tables: Statewide poverty percentages, GCT1701, Ratio of income to poverty level, C17002
• U.S. Census Bureau, “American FactFinder,” 2009 American Community Survey (accessed May 2011). Data came from the following tables: Statewide poverty percentages, GCT1701, Ratio of income to poverty level, C17002
• Half in Ten analysis of Table 1, 2007 State Expenditure Report, National Association of State Budget Officers.
• Half in Ten analysis of Table 1, 2009 State Expenditure Report, National Association of State Budget Officers.
• Center for American Progress analysis of CEPR Current Population Survey ORG data.