Carson Brown enrolled in the Gateway Youth Program in Ripley, Mississippi, after being introduced to a career coach by a family friend. At the time, he was unemployed and struggling to make progress toward earning his high school equivalency.
With guidance from his coach, Brown identified his career and educational goals. He recognized the importance of earning a paycheck while completing his HSE. In less than six weeks, he earned a Mississippi Smart Start Credential, a WorkKeys Silver Certification, and his high school equivalency while working part-time as a dietary aide at Tippah County Hospital.
Brown also completed the ACT and was accepted into the pre-nursing program at Northeast Mississippi Community College, scheduled to begin in spring 2026. He plans to enroll in the RN program at NEMCC in fall 2026 and aims to advance from dietary aide to nurse aide, continuing his ‘earn while you learn’ pathway.
The Mississippi Partnership Workforce Board and Three Rivers Planning & Development District, Inc., fund the WIOA Youth Gateway Program, which supports participants like Brown in workforce development efforts.
Jon R Myers is the executive editor of Alcorn County News and the founder of the Mississippi News Group, which he started in 2013 to cover communities across North Mississippi. He also founded the Mississippi Sports Group in 2006, which grew from a single community publication into a statewide network covering high school and college athletics. He reports on local government, public safety, schools and community life in Corinth and Alcorn County, working from public meetings, agency records and interviews with the people involved. Contact him at editor@alcornnewsms.com with news tips or corrections. For a correction, include the article link and supporting source material.
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