Northern Maryland – When J’Von became a program participant with Youth Advocate Programs (YAP®), Inc. in Northern Maryland he was looking for structure, accountability, and positive support to help get his future back on the right path.
“Through my involvement with YAP, I have been given the opportunity to develop better habits, take responsibility for my actions, and stay focused on my goals,” J’Von wrote. “The guidance, resources, and consistent support I have received have played a major role in helping me move in a positive direction.”
J’Von is a recipient of the Tom Jeffers Endowment Fund for Continuing Education that supports his plans to study Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) at Lincoln Tech, a trade school. Thanks to donors – most of whom are YAP® employees – beneficiaries are eligible to apply for and receive the nonprofit’s scholarship annually. The award is $1,500 for college or trade school tuition, fees or supplies, or a laptop computer. The unique Endowment Fund also received generous donations from the YAP® Board of Directors and other contributors.
A national nonprofit, YAP® partners with public systems to provide individual and family wraparound and mental health services as an alternative to placing young people in trouble or crisis in residential care/treatment and corrections facilities. YAP® Advocates are trained to provide intensive mentoring that helps youth realize their strengths while connecting them and their parents with economic, emotional and educational resources to firm their foundation and help them succeed.
Since November 2025, 18-year-old J’Von has been involved with YAP® Northern Maryland’s Youth Justice Program, where he was connected with a community-based Advocate and other staff who helped guide him into making better decisions after he got into some trouble. J’Von’s former Advocate said he also started attending church, going to the gym regularly, and is actively seeking employment as he understands the benefits of becoming independent, making an effort and taking accountability.
“[YAP staff] have supported me emotionally, physically, and financially on a daily and weekly basis,” J’Von wrote in his Endowment essay. “The program has helped me grow into a more disciplined and motivated young man.”
J’Von also earned valuable skills through YAPWORX® the organization’s workforce development program, which is designed for young people who face employment barriers helping them to earn a paycheck as they acquire job training skills.
“As part of his involvement in YAPWORX, J’Von successfully fulfilled court-ordered requirements, including paying off his restitution,” YAP® Northern Maryland Administrative Manager Jasmine Sawyers wrote in her recommendation letter for J’Von. “He approached this responsibility with consistency, accountability, and a willingness to grow. Throughout the process, he remained receptive to guidance, met expectations, and demonstrated a strong commitment to making positive choices and moving forward.”
Sawyers described J’Von as a consistent and focused person with “strong character, accountability, and a clear commitment to his future.”
“J’Von is a respectful, patient, and cooperative young man who engages well with both staff and peers,” Sawyers wrote. “He contributes to a positive environment and carries himself with maturity. His work ethic is evident not only in how he shows up, but in how he follows through. He is intentional about building a better future for himself.”
J’Von said he is fully committed to excelling at Lincoln Tech.
“I intend to remain focused, dedicated, and disciplined in my coursework, and I am confident that I will succeed in my HVAC program,” he added. “I am highly motivated to pursue this field because it offers a stable, in-demand career that will allow me to build a better future for myself and family.”
For more information on YAP®, visit yapinc.org. To make a contribution to the Endowment Fund, click here.
