The Chattanooga Housing Authority recently hosted a ceremony to recognize 14 graduates of its YouthBuild Chattanooga program.

YouthBuild is a nine-month job training/educational program that targets young people ages 16-24 who have dropped out of high school, and are interested in learning basic construction skills. Participants are taught carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, painting and landscaping while they work toward earning a GED.

Chattanooga State Technical Community College staff provide GED instruction. Two graduates, Jessica Grissom and Andrew Johnson, earned their GEDs during the 2009 YouthBuild program cycle.

Participants earn a biweekly stipend. CHA's program is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The 2009 YouthBuild graduates were Candice Garner, Jessica Grissom, Petra James, Andrew Johnson, Brandon Keith, Larry Kidd, Elmondo Millener, Reuben Moore, Chanel Newman, Deondria Poole, Ciara Robinson, Elijah Sanders III, Marcus Wellington and Jeremy Whatley.

The graduation speaker was Sherree Frierson, a former drug addict who is now a counselor with the Council for Alcohol & Drug Abuse Services. Ms. Frierson told the audience about how her previous addiction led to dropping out of college, losing custody of her children and even spending time in prison. She said she has been drug-free for 13 years and has worked at CADAS for the past 11.

For more information about the next YouthBuild Chattanooga class, call 752-4173.