This episode features a conversation with Ralph Wideman, an adult education graduate who successfully completed his high school diploma at age 46 in 2023. Ralph shares his inspiring journey from working in the horse racing industry and trucking to pursuing higher education, now studying accounting at Lewis and Clark Community College. With candid discussions about balancing full-time work, family life, and 13 college credits per semester, Ralph offers valuable insights about the importance of education and perseverance.

Tune in to hear from two YouthBuild students, Jada and Will, about their recent service trip to Oregon. The students share their experiences of traveling across the country, participating in team-building activities, and contributing to a "blitz build" project where they helped construct tiny homes for unhoused individuals. They discuss the impact of the trip on their personal growth, the importance of community service, and the benefits of the YouthBuild program.

In this month's episode, Jill interviews Casio Manley, a 17-year-old student who recently earned his Illinois high school diploma through the YouthBuild program. Casio talks about his journey in the program, from initially struggling with focus and motivation, to developing mental toughness, setting goals, and persevering through obstacles to pass his GED exams. Tune in to discover how YouthBuild provided Casio a supportive, family-like environment for him to gain skills, and work towards his ultimate passion of opening his own automotive shop one day.