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Success Stories

Jackie Maldonado

Jackie Maldonado is a 2005 graduate from Le Grand High School, she was enrolled in the YOP Program for the program year 2004-2005.While enrolled in the program, and she had the opportunity to choose a worksite in which she would work her 192 hours. She originally had picked Footlocker or Footaction at the Mall; unfortunately those slots had been taken. The next option she had was Costco Wholesale. She was not too excited about working there, but with Jackie being so cooperative, gave it a try. Jackie started working there and sure enough, the first week she called her mentor Ramiro Govea and told him that all she was doing was pick up trash and move in shopping carts. Mr. Govea talked to her and told her to hang in there for another week before she decided to look for another site. Well, she stuck it out and the rest is history! She completed all of her 192 (YOP) hours there and before the program was over the store supervisor told Mr. Govea that they were going to hire her as soon as the program ended.

Jackie is now part of the Costco Wholesale team. She was hired in August of 2005 and started with a wage of $10.00 per hour. Even though she works many hours she really enjoys working there. The last time she saw her mentor, she told him that she is grateful for the Youth Opportunity Program. She feels that with the Work Experience that the program was able to give her she was able to be hired. When she is at work, customers sometimes tell her that she is too young to be working there. They ask her how she was able to get hired at such a young age and she always replies, "I was able to get hired because the Youth Opportunity Program gave me the chance to work here".