At Communities In Schools of North Carolina, we believe that mentorship and caring for students is the path to inspiring them and helping them overcome the difficulties they face.

Antwone, a senior at Asheboro High School, first met Jobs for North Carolina’s Graduates (JNCG) Specialist Mr. Spencer during his freshman year, when Spencer served as a football coach. “Mr. Spencer has always encouraged me and pushed me to be better.” When he entered his junior year, he was excited to finally able to enroll in JNCG, and join his mentor in theclassroom. 

JNCG encourages students to begin thinking about their career goals after graduation. Antwone decided he wanted to follow in Mr. Spencer’s footsteps and play football in college. Mr. Spencer told Antwone that his dedication and work ethic would be great assets on the field, but he needed to consider opportunities beyond athletics.  This is an area where Mr. Spencer provided meaningful support. Through their conversations, he learned that Antwone preferred a more hands-on career and had a growing interest in electronics. Together, they explored different options, and Antwone ultimately decided he wants to pursue electrical engineering.

A son of a bishop, Antwone has always helped others who may be overlooked, inspiring his passion to help others who may be struggling with their mental health. “I want to help remove the stigma of men seeking help with dealing with mental health issues. It’s important.”

With those in mind, Mr. Spencer helped Antwone apply to North Carolina State University (NC State) and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T) in Greensboro. He has been accepted to both schools. Mr. Spencer was the first person he wanted to tell when he received his acceptance letters. “JNCG has opened doors for me. Doors I never thought would open at all.”

While he has not made his final decision, he is excited for his next chapter, with Mr. Spencer’s advice guiding him along the way: “If you work hard, you will always achieve the goals that you set out to achieve.”