“I wanted to change as many lives as I possibly could cause I got tired of seeing the same thing over and over again.”

Monique has made it her life mission to set young people up for success. For the last 25 years, she's shaped the lives of countless people and is now representing Evergreen Goodwill as the Youth Program Director. She's committed to expanding the organization's reach and hopes to continue amplifying our efforts surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion

“The youth look up to me. I’m young, but knowing they look up to me is kind of different, because at one point I was the person looking up to staff.” – Martrez, Seattle Goodwill Intern and Youth Program Participant 

Martrez graduated from Seattle’s Cleveland High School in 2019. Before he connected with Goodwill, Martrez compared himself to his peers who lacked interest in school and weren’t on the right track. After building relationships and receiving guidance from Goodwill’s Youth Year-Round Program Job Training & Education (JTE) staff, Martrez’s mindset shifted. 

“I believe this internship offers a lot of help for the lower-income students – not for the students who have the highest grades or have the most amount of money or already have a place in college,” Nika said. “Goodwill speaks for students who are struggling in an environment they don’t think they can get out of. It’s good to give an opportunity for others who need it, and Goodwill does that.” 

“The internship is a pretty good opportunity, especially if you are trying to see what work is like,” Rodney said. “You’re learning things, and you’ve got really supportive people there that want to help you grow and succeed in life.”

MaiQueen’s first summer with Seattle Goodwill has been an immersion in career exploration, professional development, community service, and so much more. A senior at Seattle’s Garfield High School, she stayed busy last summer developing job skills in Goodwill’s Youth Maritime Program.

"Because of this internship, I had a more productive summer. I turned it into a, ‘Let’s go to work and see what I can accomplish, regardless of the circumstances," Alieu says about his five-month work experience with Goodwill. 

Amid a worldwide pandemic and a senior year of high school without spring sports, prom or a graduation ceremony, Dominic had critical decisions to make about his future.

Dominic — a football, wrestling and track athlete with a deep passion for aerospace — was trying to select the college that fit him best. His parents were busy working from home, and his access to school mentors was limited. Dominic took comfort in knowing he could lean on Seattle Goodwill’s youth program leaders when he needed advice.

Washington State Governor Jay Inslee visited Seattle Goodwill's King County Job Training and Education Center to learn about youth programming and our Career Connected Learning model.

Catch up on Goodwill Faces with the four stories below. Tune into our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to follow our weekly #GoodwillFaces series!

The maritime industry has a vast presence in our community and a bright future with a large number of mariners reaching retirement age during the next several years. Seattle Goodwill's new Youth Maritime Program is a great opportunity to explore a promising career. We asked members of the Seattle Maritime Academy a number of questions about the industry.