Dropouts, teen pregnancy and even drugs. In my community, these issues are so common that it doesn't surprise me anymore to see one of my friends pushing a stroller on a Monday morning as I'm driving to work. The first thing that pops into my head is, "Aren't you supposed to be in school?" I often wonder why so many people I hang out with stopped going to school. What happened? I wonder if we are looked upon as failures by the adults in the community.

But my biggest question is: Did we fail or did the school system fail us?

I am not just some statistic and neither are my friends; we are the future of Santa Fe and New Mexico, where having a high-school diploma is a must if you want to succeed in the community. But with so many students falling through the cracks of our educational system, is the community making an effort to keep kids in school?

My academic life was a mess. I was a smart kid and all my teachers were aware of that, but I intimidated them and I knew it. I struggled with many issues and I got into trouble — in and out of school — and ended up in the juvenile-justice system. When I was in school, I was lost because I had missed so much. I was basically attending school because the law said I had to. Eventually, I took all five tests — in one day — required to get my GED. I passed four out of the five on my first try.

Now, I am a full-time employee at YouthWorks. It has provided me with full-time employment, and a cool place to study for that last test to get my GED. I found a place where you don't get judged based on your past, but instead, the focus is on your future.

YouthWorks is a nonprofit organization that serves more than 2,000 predominantly Hispanic and Native American youth every year. The majority of youth who walk through the doors are low-income, have been involved in the criminal-justice system, have a history of alcohol or drug abuse and have had at least some contact with gangs. Most have had a lack of family support.

YouthWorks' approach is to recognize the needs of youth through positive peer networks, education, employment skills and leadership development.

It has helped many at-risk teens reach their full potential, said Maria Dominguez, 18, who is employed with YouthWorks.

"This job has really helped me become involved in the community and has really opened many opportunities for me. I am on the Mayor's Youth Advisory Board and the Sustainable Santa Fe commission," she said. "I am really excited to be creating jobs for our generation that actually help people and the environment."

She said for many local teens, YouthWorks is the last link to a brighter future. Jennifer Tapia, 17, also a full-time employee as well as a student in the GED program, agrees. "It is hard to get a job in Santa Fe. I went five months as a dropout without a job and nobody to help me get my GED. I was overwhelmed," she said. "Then my older brother told me about YouthWorks. With their help, I am on my way to earning my GED and I have more support than I have ever had."

In addition to employment and a GED program, YouthWorks started a mentoring program at DeVargas Middle School for at-risk students. Michael Martinez, 14, was part of last year's program.

"If it wasn't for YouthWorks, I probably wouldn't even pass the eighth grade and be going to high school," he said. "They also gave me a job, which keeps me off the streets and out of trouble."

YouthWorks hopes to expand in the future. Today, if you drive by YouthWorks, you are likely to see a group of 20 to 30 of Santa Fe's youth working on an irrigation system that will water a community garden.

"YouthWorks is the kitchen to Santa Fe's youth. It's like a kitchen where kids can gather and they feel that they are accepted for who they are. It's somewhere where they can go to talk and be listened to," said Lawrence Muñoz, an employee of YouthWorks.

For more information on YouthWorks, call 989-1855.