After 1 month, I'm a certified welder and am happy about that. I'm not from around here. I'm not sure how I made it this far. Something drew me to this school. It's only about this school that I moved out here. I'm living in my camper down the street just so I can get this opportunity. I didn't know this place would open my heart, not just about welding. I was in prison for 5 years. I didn't know how important it was to be at one with God. More than the certification; I'm happy now. Thank you for all the love you gave me. You guys are amazing.

I was in prison for 20 years. Joined Healthright 360 when I got out. I applied and got in to ReIGNITE Hope but dropped out after a week and got a job as a welder helper. I realized my mistake and applied again. Here I am. I left my job to come here. It was a worth it. It's a loving, caring environment--not just a school. I plan to volunteer and help the next class of students because I take that to heart. You have to give to receive.

I'm from Compton, the youngest of three kids. My brother and father are welders so I knew I would follow in their footsteps. ReIGNITE Hope was a Godsend because I got certified in MIG and TIG. It's a four week program with real hands-on experience. It's really life-changing. Not only did I get certified but I've become closer to God.

I signed up for the class and got the call. It's been really amazing after that. I feel mentally and spiritually better. I told my friends about it. They're signing up and their lives are changing. Everything about it is amazing.

On Cert Day, the nerves got to me. The staff prayed with me and supported me through it. I'm happy to say I received my cert. If I can do, you can do it.

Here I got a lot closer to my faith. I appreciated the preaching from Pastor Steve and the guests who shared their stories. They did make an impact. I did appreciate they gave me resources to apply for many jobs. I landed a MIG job after a month.

Teachers and volunteers are super friendly. They know what they're talking about. I plan to go into construction. I want to create and be paid to do it.

Until a year ago, I was involved in gangs and drugs. I started to turn my life and found out about this program. It's helped me turn my life around. The staff and volunteers are like a second family to me. I've gotten closer to God, closer to my family. I got certified today and look forward to finding a job in the welding trade.