Green Visions Spotlight

It is always amazing to me to experience firsthand how the right environment can turn a young person’s potential into tangible success. This month I would like to introduce one of our hard-working participants, named Jacob Orta. Jacob discovered our program through word of mouth. Two of his friends highly recommended Green Visions.

When he first arrived, Jacob was looking to channel his energy into something productive. Jacob came to us with a game plan. He was determined to get a full-time job as soon as possible. Jacob was not afraid of hard work. Right away we sat down and whipped up a new resume for him and commenced mock interviews. We worked closely with him, translating his hands-on experience working on our urban farm into a professional narrative that highlighted his work-ethic and reliability.

Green Visions Spotlight: Jacob Orta

This effort paid off almost immediately. He had an opportunity to work for a flooring company, where he applied his attention to detail to a specialized trade. Jacob worked for this company for a few months and reached out again. This company had a toxic work environment, and he was hoping to find something else that aligned more with his values as a person. We met with him and hit the ground running, updating his resume to include all the new skills he had learned while working on flooring. We sent out several applications and he received a few offers; in the end he ended up accepting a seasonal job at Walmart.

Jacob was passionate about finishing his GED. He believed education was a solid foundation from which he could build a strong career off. When Jacob’s time at Walmart ended this past January we started doing research into a few GED programs that would fit his schedule. He is currently scheduled to start one this spring!

Another goal of Jacobs was to clear a major hurdle that impeded his long-term independence. Getting his Learners Permit! Access to transportation is often the biggest “invisible” barrier for youth in Rochester, working towards and achieving this milestone will give him the mobility to not only obtain but sustain steady employment. We again got to work straight away. He met with me diligently every week to work on practice permit tests. I am pleased to report that he is taking the official test tomorrow!

Jacob is a testament to the age-old adage “If at first you don’t succeed try, try again” Did he give up after the flooring job? No, he did not! He asked for help in finding the right fit. He stayed calm and carried on. We made new goals that aligned with his value set. We narrowed down not only the type of work he wanted to do, but the type of environment that he wanted to work in. He discovered that company culture can be just as meaningful as a paycheck.