TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – It’s a unique opportunity. Youth in Lucas County are getting paid to attend classes and learn about how to better themselves and their community.
Director, manager and teacher Christiana Wagner has been with the Homies Youth Empowerment Program from the start.
Since 2014, Wagner said the initiative has taught around 350 students.
“Not only is it an after-school program, we’re teaching them things they’re not learning anywhere else,” Wagner said.
The program is grant-funded and specifically for 14-24-year-olds living in Lucas County who are economically disadvantaged.
“It is to plant those seeds of justice and plant those seeds of hope in their hearts so hopefully one day it will click in their mind and they’re like ‘oh my gosh, yes, I learned that in the homies class,’” Wagner said.
Sitting in a classroom in Toledo’s Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC) building, students learn about resume building and employment readiness.
They also gain hands-on skills, including food prep certification.
“Normally you have to pay for to do that class and they get to do it for free,” Wagner said.
Providing tangible takeaways to the students.
“I’ve seen their parents post on Facebook like, ‘Look what my kid did, he’s going places!’” Wagner said.
The program also addresses civic engagement.
“Created some really amazing initiatives like the code of conduct with our Toledo Police Department, that was them,” Wagner said.
Recruiter Nathaly Bernier said she is looking for new students for 2026.
“It is a year-round program, it is divided into three sessions, so we have the summer, the fall and the winter,” Bernier said.
The winter and fall sessions are 16 weeks long and the summer session is an 11-week session.
She’s calling the future leaders of the community to join in and become empowered.
Anyone interested can call or text 919.583.4810 or email nbernier@cmwj.org.
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This article was published by WTVG on 2025-11-07 23:30:00
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