NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — From hardship to hope: Ty'Jae Watson got another chance at life through a program in Newport News called "YouthBuild." He recently graduated, earning his GED.
“This graduation meant the most to my dad. He didn’t graduate from regular school because he was in jail. He and I wanted better for myself. I’m glad I could make him proud," said Ty'Jae.
Perseverance, hard work, and commitment paid off for Ty'Jae, despite the obstacles he faced along the way.
"Last year, I got locked up. I got arrested and it set me back a lot," Ty'Jae expressed.
At just 17, he was facing gun charges. Because of that, he wasn't able to finish high school and was sent to a detention center. But one phone call was the catalyst for a new beginning.
"When I called my mom, she was telling me stuff that was going on at home. She was crying, it broke me," said Ty'Jae.
Through a judge's order, he became a student in "Peacekeepers," a gun violence intervention program for those who have gun charges as a minor. Through that program, he was referred to "Youthbuild," a program partnered with the City of Newport News, the Department of Labor, and Volunteers of America. This initiative aims to help at-risk youth get training and certifications for skill trade positions.
Youthbuild helped him discover his passion for HVAC and piping. His goal is to join the military.
"I can take the trades that I learned at Youthbuild and apply them through the Army," he added.
Behind his journey to success is his Youthbuild teacher, Amere Langley.
"It's been wonderful to see different people, and you can see the personalities start to shift," said Langley.
Youthbuild has served 165 students, ages 16 to 24, since the program launched in 2019.
Defying the odds, the gun charges filed against Ty'Jae in juvenile court were dropped by a judge, giving him a clean slate and a fresh start at life.
"I'm thankful for that because it would've been a lot worse," said Ty'Jae.
In addition to getting his GED last month, Ty'Jae has a National Center for Construction Education & Research credential and has been accepted into the Virginia Technical Academy’s building property maintenance program. He's also working with an Army recruiter.
