Justin’s Journey: Finding Success and Independence at Shepherds College
Justin is my friend, and he has always stood out as unique. As a child among his peers, he was gregarious when they were unsure and funny when they were awkward and self-conscious. Among adults, Justin was comfortable and outgoing, unassuming and vibrant. He was, and is, always an interesting companion, a deep thinker with a vivid imagination, and a thoughtful conversationalist. He made us laugh. He challenged our ideas. His enthusiasm for life and expectation of the good that God was bringing rarely waned. It took a long time to understand the parts of him that weren’t quite as obvious.
Justin’s parents are professional educators, so they could see what we did not. For all his apparent gifts, certain kinds of cognitive calculation eluded him in ways that would make his family question his ability to live a successful independent life. His parents homeschooled him as far as they could but knew that wouldn’t be enough. By the time Justin reached his late teen years, they didn’t know what to do next. They knew they had to prepare him for adulthood but didn’t know how.
That’s when they heard about Shepherds College. A young man by then, Justin was eager to begin to take hold of his own life, and Shepherds showed him and his family the way. Shepherds showed Justin the next steps at an intentional, measured pace that combined challenge with empathy and practical training in an effective combination. Like the rest of us, there were some things Justin would never be good at, but the instructors at Shepherds College spotted and took advantage of his natural technical talents and added the life skills and independent living experience he needed. He bloomed under their guidance.
Justin graduated in 2020 with a certificate of completion in Technology. I got my first closeup of the Shepherds culture and mission at his graduation ceremony and saw that Justin was far from alone. As it turns out, Shepherds College has been a conduit for success for young people like Justin for a long time, the only one I’ve ever seen. Today, Justin is writing and producing radio plays, has a resume of successfully held jobs, and has a driver’s license. Many folks would have said he would never have gotten this far, but he did, and now no one, including himself, doubts how far he can go.
And that’s the inspiration of Shepherds College. They not only hope and pray for a young person’s ability to reach beyond their grasp – they put arms and legs to the job and show them the way. Shepherds looks up, finds the star, and points the way to follow it.
I support Shepherds College because their vision is real, and it works. I support them because of Justin.
