Malachi joined CISNC’s Jobs for North Carolina’s Graduates class in Cumberland County during his senior year. What started out as an elective recommended by his school counselor soon turned into a community of support that gave him new experiences and helped him develop a plan after graduation.  

“As soon as I walked through the door, Dr. Brown, introduced me to the program and made me feel right at home.” says Malachi. Dr. Brown, College & Career Specialist at Southview High School, is committed to her students’ success, helping them develop not only job-related skills but also preparing them to become future leaders.

“Dr. Brown taught me the importance of responsibility… of leadership as well.” Said Malachi, “The importance of working with a team or working with your peers in order to accomplish your goal. I believe that’s a main skill that I truly learned.”  

In March, Malachi joined other JNCG students from across the state and competed in the Financial Literacy division during JNCG’s 6th Annual Career Development Competition. Despite not winning first place, Malachi was recognized during the competition by Dr. Brown and was awarded the Outstanding JNCG Student award for the year.  

“This is a great class to have,” Malachi said. “I believe it’s a great opportunity to open doors, meet new people, and make new friends. “I truly believe that you can learn a lot of skills from this, even if you don’t know about the program beforehand.” 

CIS encourages students to look ahead to their futures. Preparing for and competing in the Financial Literacy competition helped Malachi decide his career path. After graduating in June, Malachi will attend Fayetteville State University to study Finance. His goal is to become a financial advisor to help others make sound financial decisions.