Trey lived a very transient life with his family, ending up living with his grandparents when he was a senior in high school after his parents lost custody of him several years ago due to difficult life choices.
Throughout his young life, he had been enrolled in multiple schools across the Commonwealth of Kentucky before ending up in Greenup County, where his life was transformed thanks to the caring educators at the county’s Area Technology Center (ATC) and the supporters of Americans Helping Americans®.
Greenup County ATC principal Stacey Thompson reported in March that she had first met Trey while he was attending a neighboring school district and was enrolled in welding classes there.
“His attendance and behavior were a major issue, and they were looking at removing him from his career and technical courses because he wasn’t on course to earn credits toward graduation,” Stacey told us.
In fact, he was facing being moved to an alternative school.
However, during the summer of 2025, Trey’s grandfather contacted the Greenup County school district and requested a meeting.
Trey and his grandfather came to the school, toured the facility, “and we talked about opportunities available to our students in welding, and Trey seemed to get excited,” Stacey told us.
“At this point, we were able to have a really hard conversation about behavior and attendance being the key components to earning career-ready certifications and going to work with our unions.
“He told me he wanted a fresh start to set goals and get on a good path,” said Stacey, adding that his grandfather reiterated that he had the support system now to help Trey succeed.
And with that, entering his senior year in high school at the ATC, “Trey came into our classes and got right to work.”
Stacey said he started with the basic welding certificate levels 1G (Flat Position where the metal pieces lie flat on a table, and you weld down onto the top surface, considered the easiest and most controlled starting point for beginning welders) and 2G (Horizontal Position where the weld runs across a vertical or inclined wall, requiring you to prevent molten metal from sagging downward, more challenging than 1G because gravity pulls the molten metal down toward the bottom edge of the joint).
From there, Trey quickly progressed to the Kentucky Department of Transportation (KYDOT) 3G certification, which in state highway construction and materials testing refers to the vertical groove welding position.
“Trey wanted all he could earn to get into the union more quickly, so he pursued the KYDOT 3-G Unlimited, 4-G & 4-G Unlimited and passed them all!
“So very proud of Trey!”
Stacey went on to tell us that when Trey earned his certifications, his welding teacher Jeff Mulkey allowed Trey to pick out a professional-grade welding helmet purchased using Americans Helping Americans® Want2Work grant funding, “and Trey was THRILLED!
“He had told Mr. Mulkey he had no idea how he was going to be able to afford one to start at the union.”
And when union representatives called the Greenup ATC “to recruit our best, most certified and hardest-working, we were able to send them Trey.
“This has been huge for him and his family!”
Stacey told us that last spring, Trey interviewed with the union and secured an entry-level position and started work before even graduating in May.
And because Trey came into the feeder high school and earned all of his graduation credits as well, he was able to graduate with his peers.
Stacey also told us that Trey’s grandfather was a welder and always talked to Trey about giving it a chance.
His grandfather’s health was not good, so he was not able to teach or mentor Trey much through the process, “but he has loved watching him experience such success for the very first time!”
“He is doing so well right now,” said Stacey. “His biggest excitement is being able to help take care of his grandparents.
“The Americans Helping Americans® Want2Work grant made this moment and investment in Trey’s future possible.”
