ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) — Derrek Humphrey’s story starts with loss. Raised by his great-grandmother without his mother or father in his life, he dropped out of high school with no plan and no direction.

“My great-grandma raised me. I didn’t have my mother or father in my life,” Humphrey said. “Everyone needs that one person in their life to guide them through it all. I didn’t have that.”

But today, Humphrey is one of 65 graduates celebrating a second chance through the Albany Housing Authority’s YouthBuild Program. The program does more than teach skills: It helps young people get certified in trades and land jobs.

“They showed me that there’s people that care about the youth,” Humphrey said. “And they motivate me because I’ve always wanted to make the environment I was in better.”

For Dr. Williams Myles, CEO of the Albany and Lee County Housing Authority, helping young people like Humphrey is personal.

“For me, it means a lot to give these young people an opportunity because someone gave me one,” Myles said. “I was raised in public housing. I was judged and also a part of the ‘statistic.’ Because someone poured into me, I want to do the same thing.”

The 65 graduates earned certificates in fields including construction and healthcare. Some aspire to be business owners. Humphrey wants to pursue construction, following in his family’s footsteps.

“I’ve always wanted to have that skill because my dad and grandad did roofing,” he said. “They showed me that there wasn’t a stop in my life because I wasn’t where I wanted to be, and I didn’t have the tools to put me there.”

Now, Humphrey has those tools. Program leaders say they want to change the narrative of these “statistics” and serve even more youth in the future.

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