The Trailblazer: LEAD graduate finds her own path to success

Shenell Bagot always pictured herself on top of the world. But the path to success felt like a road to nowhere. For most of her life, Shenell was told success in life begins and ends with college. But when you know college isn’t for you, the thought of spending several years and countless dollars there doesn’t seem very appealing. 

“I knew that was something I didn’t want to do,” she said. “Nothing they had at college really interested me.”

But what were her other options? The only post-high school option she ever heard was college or nothing. And with no other options after graduation, she grew more and more pessimistic about the future. 

“I was angry about school, not feeling like I’ll succeed, feeling like no one really cared if I learned or not,” she said. “It was, honestly, just not for me.”

She had to get out. 

One day, she met up with a friend who’d recently transferred to LEAD Charter School, an alternative high school that implements the YouthBuild Newark model, where students obtain their high school diploma and certifications in one of three career pathways: Construction, Allied Health or Technology. 

“They found LEAD and LEAD changed them, helped them out, put them on the right path, gave them a trade they can grow in and I found interest in that,” she said.

By the start of Mental Toughness - LEAD’s student orientation process - Shenell was ready for a fresh start, so she embraced the challenge with both hands. “It was a lot of work. You really had to prove you were ready for a new chapter in your life,” she said. 

Out of the three career paths at https://www.leadcharterschool.org/LEAD, Shenell chose construction and immediately hit the ground running. She took every homework assignment, every quiz and every conversation as an opportunity to learn more about the trade, and she always had more questions to ask. Before long, she had risen to the top of her class, often leading her peers along the way. 

Construction has historically been a male-dominated field where women only make up 10.8 percent of the workforce, and the majority of those workers are white, according to the Center for American Progress. But the industry is changing. Terry Lang, LEAD’s Senior Vocational Instructor, said the field is creating more opportunities for women on worksites, so workers like Shenell have more chances to shine.

“Construction ignited Shenell’s passion for learning. That passion was always there, but this field allowed her to come alive in ways that traditional school settings couldn’t,” he said.  “She has a bright future, and if she sticks with it, we’ll be hearing a lot about her in construction. I’m sure we’ll hear about her building the next skyscraper in Newark or the next hotel - really making a name for herself.”

Even a year of virtual learning didn’t slow her down. When the pandemic first hit, she said she never stopped working. She was always in class, even if it was just her and a handful of students.

“I pushed,” she said, “up all night doing work because I knew I wanted to graduate, and instead of doing nothing all day, I might as well do some work.”

And on graduation day, all her hard work paid off when Shenell accepted the Construction Vocational Award and the Consciousness Award.

“I don’t even expect any of those awards,” she said. “But that’s what I like about LEAD: They actually see how hard I was working. I’m not looking for acknowledgement, but it’s nice to feel appreciated.”

Today, Shenell is a YouthBuild Graduate intern, where she’s learning basic electrical work, studying for her union test and preparing for her OSHA 30 certification. For the first time in a long time, Shenell can see what her future looks like, and the pathway is clear. 

“I don’t think of construction as just a job. I think of it for the long-term. I see myself retiring doing this. I don’t see myself doing anything else,” she said. “I just have to stay focused and not get distracted.”

“Shenell is a prime example of what’s possible when a young person’s willingness to work hard is met with opportunities for them to succeed,” said Robert Clark, YouthBuild Newark founder and CEO of Newark Opportunity Youth Network. “Whether it’s college, trade school, armed services, or the workforce, preparing young people like Shenell for post-secondary pathways remains the foundation of our work. We’re proud to see her succeed.”

“It’s rare that you can find a school that really cares deeply about their students, that’s why I’ll recommend anybody struggling or trying to find themselves or trying to get back into high school, I’d recommend this school in a heartbeat”

— Shenell Bagot, YouthBuild Intern, LEAD 2021 graduate