The 700 Club: New Jersey educator celebrates 700 young people certified

There have been a lot of ups and downs this school year. But Terry Lang, senior vocational instructor at LEAD Charter School and YouthBuild Newark, is celebrating a significant milestone.

As of May 2021, Lang has helped more than 700 young people obtain their NCCER Core Curriculum and Weatherization certifications, both leading industry-recognized credentials in the construction field. By obtaining an NCCER certification, young people have access to a high demand career path where they can immediately get to work on buildings, highways, and construction projects across New Jersey.

For more than a decade, Lang has used his natural charisma and life experiences to educate and inspire young people looking for a fresh start. Lang touts more than 13 years of experience in youth development and CTE training, with multiple certifications in instruction, carpentry, Weatherization Fundamentals, including a Teacher of Carpentry certification with the New Jersey Department of Education and many more. 

Terry Lang was a part of the inaugural YouthBuild Newark class of 2004. Today, he celebrates helping more than 700 young people receive NCCER Core Curriculum and Weatherization certifications.

In each LEAD graduate, Lang sees a bit of his former self. In 2003, he discovered YouthBuild Newark on a flyer in the window of a laundromat. At the time, he was under a lot of pressure: a newly engaged 24-year-old with unstable housing and a newborn baby boy in tow. He couldn’t wait for an opportunity. He had to make one happen, and YouthBuild Newark - which offered a pathway to a career and a GED - seemed like the break he needed.

He joined the program with plans to finish the year, earn his high school diploma, then head off to college. But YouthBuild Newark offered more than GEDs and diplomas, he said. It offered community development opportunities, education, employment, leadership development, and most importantly, a pathway to a sustainable career. 

As the program grew, Terry grew with it, becoming more active in the process; first, as a graduate intern, then supporting YouthBuild’s programmatic expansion. Though Terry never pictured himself in a classroom setting, he’s always been a natural-born educator. 

“My first time teaching my full drumline was at 17. Never thought of being a full teacher until maybe five years into working at YouthBuild. I realized I had a spark to get to students. I was able to connect to them very quickly.”

Terry Lang (center) presents a young person an award during LEAD Charter School’s 2021 Graduation ceremony.

Through his mentorship with Robert Clark, YouthBuild Newark founder and now the Chief Executive Officer of Newark Opportunity Youth Network, Terry was given the opportunity to share his story, and use his personal experiences to connect with young people, inspire them and introduce them to the construction trade. 

“Students, today, have a lot of baggage, dealing with family issues, outside issues, personal issues. It was the same with the students 10 years ago,” Lang said, “but students, now, are really in need of help. They need to see mentors. They need to see leaders that believe in them and are from the same area as them.”

Lang’s unique understanding of Newark’s community and the experience of its young people made him a captivating motivator that these young people could and should see the program to the end. His dynamic personality resonates with this population, one of his keys to his success in helping young people obtain their certifications.

“Terry is what happens when boys and young men of color are developed to be leaders. He’s what happens when they’re given opportunities to succeed, and given the tools to be set up for success. And his service extends beyond LEAD and YouthBuild Newark to any young person searching for the same community and the same purpose he was searching for years ago,” said Clark.

“Terry’s story is a full-circle moment. He’s just paying it forward.”