MORRIS COUNTY — Abdullah Jan gave up on high school in his senior year. “I was in such a bad place,” he said. Over the next several years, he worked his way up to a district manager at Domino’s pizzeria, ignoring a friend’s repeated urging to try NewBridge JobsPlus.
On June 12, Jan was one of nearly two dozen young adults celebrated for earning their high school diplomas and preparing for their next steps in life. More than 100 relatives and friends gathered at the Morristown Beard School to hear about their journeys, and those of NewBridge JobsPlus alumni who overcame tremendous challenges to find their path.
Program Director Amy Sheppard recited the final lines of Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” and said the 33 young adults who completed JobsPlus during the 2024-25 academic year followed that path. (Eleven were not at commencement.)
“That takes courage, it takes faith, and that takes perseverance. That experience will make the difference as they continue their journey,” Sheppard said. “I’m so proud of you!”
Jan called his time at NewBridge JobsPlus “the best learning experience I’ve had anywhere.” With support from the staff, Jan completed six months of training to become a clinical certified medical assistant. “NewBridge JobsPlus put me in the mindset to realize I could do anything I set my mind to.” He received a $1,000 scholarship from Provident Bank.
Students Find Purpose, and a Path Forward
Class of 2025 graduate Kylie Capavanni and her sister, Kelsey Gonzalez, a 2019 graduate.
Kylie Capavanni has come a long way since leaving high school in 10th grade. She spent several years caring for a much younger sister before enrolling in JobsPlus at age 19, as her sister, Kelsey Gonzalez, had done six years ago.
“It was such a calm environment, and everyone was so welcoming,” said Capavanni, who came out of her shell over her months in the program. She was named Associate of the Year and received one of three $1,500 Parker Endowment Scholarships and will attend the County College of Morris in the fall to prepare for a career in social work. The other two winners of that scholarship, named in honor of retired NewBridge CEO Robert Parker, were Ale Parente and Miranda Morgan.
‘I Feel Like a Whole New Person’
Morgan, 18, completed junior high school last June and immediately enrolled in JobsPlus. She’d dealt with conflicts and struggled with anxiety, and had no intention to return. By August, she had completed the program, earned her diploma and then enrolled at CCM. This summer, she’s starting a two-year associate’s degree in sonography at Eastwick College in Ramsey. “I feel like a whole new person,” she said.
Angel Padilla-Acevedo left high school as a junior because “I wanted to start my life.” The staff at JobsPlus helped him apply to the nursing program at CCM and for financial aid. “I feel I’m caught up now, where I’m supposed to be,” the 18-year-old said.
He received the $1,500 James Ryan Memorial Scholarship award. NewBridge Board of Trustees President Debbie King bestowed the honor, which is named for her father, one of the nonprofit’s founders. Padilla-Acevedo also took home the 70001 Excellence Award. (NewBridge JobsPlus began in 1983 as Project 70001.)
Jayden Stevens, who will attend CCM for child and family studies, was awarded the $1,000 Alumni Appreciation Scholarship Award, funded by the father of a 2008 JobsPlus graduate. Santiago Bonilla-Garcia received the Perseverance Award.
Alumni Share the Long View
Graduates heard from two JobsPlus alumni who shared inspiring personal stories.
Class of 2017 graduate Leilani Reyes described landing in juvenile detention her senior year of high school. Watching her younger sister succeed at NewBridge JobsPlus, she followed suit, but not without some further legal run-ins. She got her act together with help from JobsPlus, and then earned an associate’s, bachelor’s, and ultimately a master’s degree in criminal justice. Reyes found her passion as a lead case manager for a work-release program, helping formerly incarcerated people rebuild their lives and reintegrate into society.
“Your past does not define your future,” she said. Reyes urged the graduates to embrace second chances, be open to support, and to “find your passion and pursue it relentlessly. It might take time, but everything else will fall into place when you discover what truly ignites your soul.”
Nick Macdermott, a 2013 graduate, described years of struggling with addiction until he found his way to recovery. He is now a drug and alcohol counselor, using his experiences to inspire others. Looking back on JobsPlus, he said, “It opened up the opportunity for opportunity.” He counseled graduates: “Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and chase down all of your dreams like your life depends on it, because it kind of does.”
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