Workshop Teaches Boys Town Youth ‘Green’ Skills

Steven Lozier was 15-years-old when he first arrived at Boys Town Louisiana. Family problems at home and poor attendance at school found Steven looking for another chance.

Now, Steven is 17 years old. In the two years’ time he has spent with Boys Town his life has dramatically turned around, and he has earned all levels within Boys Town’s achievement systems. He dreams of getting an education and starting a career as an auto mechanic.

However, those dreams didn’t just build overnight.

This summer, Steven participated in a Gulfsouth Youth Biodiesel Project at Delgado Community College in New Orleans. The training program covers 19 different areas over the course of five weeks, from Basic Safety to Biodiesel Production.

At the end of the program, Steven earned three certifications: an industry-based construction certification from the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER), a First Aid/CPR American Red Cross certification, and a biodiesel processing certification.

Steven also earned $1,200 upon completing the class.

Herman Clayton, a Boys Town Louisiana Family-Teacher, said they first became aware of the program through their involvement in BeREAL, a pilot program that provides transition and mentoring services for youth aging out of Louisiana’s foster care system. Steven is the first youth from Boys Town Louisiana to participate in the training program.

“[The Gulfsouth Youth Biodiesel Project] was a new program geared to helping young people start to understand the process and the need for alternate fuels in the near future,” Clayton said.

Naturally, Steven applied to the program because of his desire to become an auto mechanic. After he was accepted and began the program, he started to learn first-hand what it takes to pursue his dream.

Steven said he liked the carpentry work in particular because it was something he was interested in before the program began.

“The easier parts of the program were the work that was done in the classroom,” he said. “The tougher parts were the hands-on projects done in the carpentry class and learning the process of mixing old cooking oil and different chemicals to make the biodiesel.”

Ultimately, his experience taught him the importance of building machines and using materials that don’t harm the environment. Thanks to the program, he is ready to take his dream and make it green.