Name: Chanelle
Team: Prince George’s County South, Maryland
Why Serve?
“Serving gives you the opportunity to do something outside of yourself. It gives you a chance to learn more about the community you are apart of. Service is something that teaches you to be humble, gives you tougher skin and it feels good. It’s not always easy, but it is well worth it.”
Name: Derrick
Team: Choice Jobs Team: Baltimore City, Maryland
Why service?
“Throughout my life I have felt the need to always give back to my community and others around me. Not because I have to, but because I want to. Service others and seeing them flourish means more to me than anything this world has to offer. I feel like service has always lit a spark in me, and always will. Service pushes you out of your comfort zone and into the different perspectives of individuals. I have learned that everyone does not see through the same lens.”
Name: Chandler 
Team: Baltimore City South, Maryland
How would you describe your experience at Choice?
“It has been one of the most challenging years of my life. I have grown professionally and have found out what I’m most passionate about. The youth we serve have shown me what it’s like to be resilient. I have a much greater understanding of how the systems our families are apart of operate and how they have failed our families. Experiencing that has ignited a fire inside of me to work to change those systems. I’ve found out more of who I am and what matters to me through Choice.”
Name: Dean
Team: Education Team, Benjamin Franklin High School
How would you describe your experience at Choice?
“My time with Choice was a year for me to grow, not only as a professional always wanting to work for youth, but as a human overall. You learn a lot about yourself, especially from the kids you serve. The kids are what make the year of service worthwhile. Truly a beneficial experience.”
Name: Creonna 
Team: Baltimore County East, Maryland
Why Serve?
“The thing that attracted me to Choice was Choice was an alternative to incarceration program that gives youth who made a mistake a second chance. We’re human… we all make mistakes. The thing I love about Choice is the ability to help mold and change how youth in the program view the world… view society as they see it.”
Name: Megan
Team: Baltimore County East, Maryland
What advice would you give others considering taking on a year of service with The Choice Program?
“After you sit back and decide that you’re ready to commit to a year of service throw everything you have into it. A year of service means something different for everyone, and I definitely recommend separating yourself from your service when you leave at the end of the day, but doing as much as I possibly could handle during my tenure was the best decision I could have made. Throwing myself into different task teams allowed me to grow professionally and offered a space for my voice to be heard.”
