MACON, Ga. — On Friday, The Motivating Youth Foundation gave 18 graduates their much-deserved diplomas.
They all graduated from the Macon foundation's Adult Readiness Program, which is designed to get them into the working world.
Roger Jackson is the founder of the foundation, and he says that they work to teach their students important skills.
"Those that have been lost have been found," Jackson said. "From soft skills to conflict resolution, to how to handle a particular problem and dealing with people, this is what they're learning day to day."
Jackson says they learn everything from basic communication and critical thinking to resume writing and job training all within four weeks.
The free program has been going on for the past five years, and the goal is to grow these students from within the classroom and connect them to real-world jobs and careers.
"Once you can get them on the right track as to the way they're thinking, they're thinking positively about themselves, then they'll think positive about other people," Jackson said.
Lewis Walls is one of the 18 graduates who received his diploma today.
"When it's time for me to wake up and hit that alarm clock, then I know what I got to do," Walls said. "You got to have the desire and the motivation. Nobody can motivate me better than me."
Walls says he met Jackson through his church and even went to the program's previous graduation ceremony to learn more.
Walls knew this would give him the voice he was missing for a long time.
"This is what you strive for," Walls said. "The yeses, not the no's. Push the no's out of the way. Always think positive. This is what the program has taught me. Remove myself from the negativity and grab onto all of the positive things that I surround myself with."
Shondrinka Walker also received her diploma and says she doesn't even want to leave.
"It's very important to me," Walker said. "I love the program and I got a lot out of the program."
Walker said getting out of prison and into the workforce made her want this even more.
She said starting out, no one would talk to each other, but in the end they all became family.
"It's just so exciting to me, I just love it!" Walker said. "When I accomplish something, it just means a lot to me. I feel like I'm moving further."
This is the program's 22nd graduating class, bringing the total to nearly 200 people.