Before coming to CCNB, Patrick didn’t give much thought to the environment, saying “nature was just a bunch of trees to me.” But after spending most of the past three years at CCNB, and successfully graduating from the program in October 2017, he has a different perspective. “Now I’m aware and appreciative of the interconnectedness of everything.”

Patrick dropped out of high school in his freshman year and enrolled in continuation high school, but he eventually dropped out permanently, leaving him without a high school diploma or marketable skills.

Today Patrick credits CCNB’s Career Pathways staff for “opening my eyes to greater possibilities,” through their guidance and job fairs. He is grateful to CCNB for setting up his internship with the Sonoma Youth Ecology Corps, where he worked on the interim stream maintenance crew with Sonoma County Water Agency. After completing his internship with the Sonoma County Water Agency, Patrick was hired and is earning a living wage as a Maintenance Worker.

“I want to thank Jennifer at JMCS (CCNB’s Charter High School) for keeping me on track. Growing up I didn’t have a father in my household, so I didn’t have the discipline I needed to keep me in line. The CCNB staff has been like a surrogate father to me – being tough when I needed it and helping me stay focused on my goals.”