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Charleston Job Corps honors new graduates
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Spring graduation ceremony celebrates 27 new grads
The Charleston Job Corps Center celebrated the accomplishments of 27 new graduates at its commencement ceremony March 4 in the center's gymnasium. Guest speaker Donteako Wilson, co-owner of Capital Insurance Group, LLC, encouraged graduates to give their best at whatever they do. "You have to be willing to go the extra mile. Be an asset and not a liability," he told the graduates.
Prior to Wilson's address, Charleston Job Corps Training Director Sermario Wiggins presented outstanding student awards to Lawrence O'Neal for Academic Overall Achievement, and Brittany Yeager for Career Technical Training Overall Achievement.
Center Director Willie Brown congratulated the new graduates, saying, "I am always delighted to see young professionals come to this point in their career path."
Student graduates include Samantha Bercik, Rodriguez Breland, Mariah Bosley, Janaijah Brown, Kashae Goodman-Brown, DeAnna Burton, Alena Campbell, Jessica Doss, James Henderson, Casey Hicks, Brianna Hill, Kevin Hutchinson, Chris Kaufman, Brittany King-Smalls, Akeria Levy, Darius Lindsey, DeAndre Murray, Lawrence O'Neal, Victoria Pretty, Alexis Powell, Kadijah Thomas, Shane Tomey, Taimek Walton, Desseonia Waters, Tyla Wise, Tariq Wise and Brittany Yeager.
The Job Corps Alumni Association induction was performed by former student and recreation advisor Tierah Williams. A reception followed the ceremony.
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Lisa Lewis honored with Woman of Achievement award
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Congratulations to Charleston Job Corps Student Personnel Officer Lisa Lewis, who is the recipient of the Charleston YWCA's 2017 Women of Achievement Empowerment Award. The annual award is presented to a woman who has benefited from the YWCA's programs.
Through a series of challenging personal experiences, Lewis found herself homeless and turned to the YWCA Sojourner's Shelter in 1993. During her stay at Sojourner's, Lewis received job-readiness training and mentorship from the shelter staff.
Tapping her spirit of perseverance, Lewis quickly became self-sufficient and worked her way up to a career in the Job Corps program, helping students who are, in many ways, a mirror of her younger self.
Lewis started working at the Charleston Job Corps in 1998 as a dishwasher. Since then, she has steadily climbed the ranks of employment there, and is now part of the center's senior management staff. As the center's Student Personnel Officer, Lewis manages student discipline by redirecting negative behavior and creating incentives for positive behavior. She created the "Yes You Can" Conference, where low-performing and unmotivated students are given the opportunity to be inspired by local business professionals and former Job Corps students who have achieved success themselves. Lewis has three associate's degrees in Community Behavioral Health, with specializations in Addiction and Youth Development. Through her work at Job Corps, Lewis has made a significant positive impact on hundreds of students' lives and is a role model and mentor to the students there.
Pictured, left to right, first row, are Camilla Neal, Julia Fourney, Lisa Lewis and Joan Williams; back row, Gary Evans, Willie Brown, Tena Jones, Raymond Blust and Timothy Walden.
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Students share love of reading during Read to Lead event
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Students visit youngsters at Boys & Girls Club
Two students from the Charleston Job Corps Center shared their love of reading with children at the Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club after-school program in Charleston, WV, to observe Read Across America/ Read to Lead Day March 2.
Students Emily Burdette and Desmond Baker read to the young students and reminded the youngsters about the importance and enjoyment of reading.
According to The National Education Association site, www.nea.org, "The National Education Association is building a nation of readers through its signature program, NEA's Read Across America. Now in its 20th year, this year-round program focuses on motivating children and teens to read through events, partnerships and reading resources."
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Emily Burdette reads to a group of youngsters.
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Desmond Baker with his reading group from the Boys & Girls Club.
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SADD members attend engagement training session
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Retreat prepares students for their work against substance abuse
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Keanu James and Tariq Wise at the Region 5 Engagement Retreat.
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Tariq Wise and Keanu James, Charleston Job Corps students and members of the center's Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) chapter, attended the Region 5 Engagement Retreat March 11 with SADD advisor Tia Welch, who also serves as the center's business community liaison. The retreat included numerous activities and team-building exercises for youth who work to prevent substance abuse and destructive decisions in their respective schools and organizations. Breakout sessions were held for youth and advisers.
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Students attend Women's & Girls' Day at state legislature
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Event encourages women to take leadership roles in their community
Nine female students from the Charleston Job Corps Center attended the Women's and Girls' Day at the Legislature on March 27. The event was sponsored by the West Virginia Women's Commission, and the theme was "Women & Girls Working Together for a Brighter Future." The event encouraged women to lead, govern and have a voice in their communities.
Cabinet Secretary for the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts Gail Manchin addressed the audience saying, "Hopefully, my generation is creating pathways for others. Your being here helps exemplify all the wonderful things you want in life." Manchin, the only female cabinet secretary in the governor's administration, encouraged the women and girls to consider running for office.
Additional topics such as sex trafficking, advocacy and bullying were addressed. The film "Chosen" was facilitated by Karen Haring of Liberia Inc. The movie discussed the issue of human sex trafficking, and highlighted warning signs and ways to advocate for legislation to protect those endangered. Erin and Leah Liopulos, siblings and models from New York, discussed bullying and their non-profit initiative "Diversity 101-Giving Back to Your Community."
Students attending the event included Dianna Bickers, Emily Burdette, Ashley Childress, Shanice Grant, Keanu James, Grecia Lemoine, Jeannette O'Neal, Sasha Thomas and Lucy Valdez. They were accompanied by the center's Business Community Liaison Tia Welch and TABE Coordinator Lovonza Hairston.
Pictured, left to right, are Grecia Lemoine, Keanu James, Ashley Childress, Dianna Bickers, Shanice Grant, Jeanette O'Neal, Sasha Thomas, Emily Burdette
and Lucy Valdez.
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Y2Y members attend 2nd Chances event
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Focuses on legislation to expand, protect rights of formerly incarcerated
Charleston Job Corps Center joined with others in supporting the Day of Empathy and Second Chances, March 16 at the State Legislature. Six students from the center's SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) chapter attended the event with their advisor Tia Welch, business community liaison.
The event was designed to call attention to the plight of those who due to previous incarceration often find it difficult to secure employment, and to build support for legislation now being considered by the West Virginia State Legislature that would expand and protect rights of those who previously were incarcerated.
The legislation includes:
- Second Chance for Employment Act (SB 76, SB 366, HB 2107, HB 2536, HB 2657), which expands eligibility for criminal expungement to persons convicted of certain nonviolent felonies.
- Ban the Box Act (HB 2380), which prohibits public employers from asking applicants for employment to disclose information concerning the applicant's criminal record or history, under certain circumstances.
- Photo ID for Released Inmates (HB 2727), which requires the Commissioner of the Division of Motor Vehicles and Commissioner of Corrections to provide an identification card for released inmates who do not have a West Virginia identification card or driver's license.
CJCC SADD Chapter members attended the Senate session to hear testimony and discussion about proposed legislation for 2017.
The Day of Empathy and Second Chances spotlighted the needs and perspectives of West Virginians impacted by the current justice system -- those who are addicted or mentally ill, incarcerated individuals, and people with a
 criminal record seeking a second chance.
Pictured left to right are Charleston Job Corps students Jaron Penn, Tariq Wise, Emily Burdette, Desmond Baker and Deion Lee.
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Chambers offer letters of support for CJCC, Job Corps
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Beckley-Raleigh, Charleston Regional Chamber send letters to President
A special thanks to the Beckley-Raleigh County Chamber of Commerce and the Charleston Regional Chamber of Commerce for sending letters of support for the Charleston Job Corps and the Job Corps program to President Donald Trump.
Both chambers noted the value of the training provided by the Charleston Job Corps Center and the skilled employees who are Job Corps graduates. Additionally, they noted the huge economic impact the center has on the Charleston community and surrounding areas by being a major employer and by contracting with area businesses for goods and services.
Job Corps works ... for the students we serve, the people we employ and the communities we call home.
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Accounting Clerk Joyce Brown honored
Congratulations to Accounting Clerk Joyce Brown, who is Charleston
Job
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Accounting Clerk Joyce Brown, center, with Center Director Willie Brown and HR Manager Teresa Sypolt.
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Corps Center's March Employee of the Month. Brown has worked for Charleston Job Corps Center since November 2013.
She began her career at CJCC as a residential adviser, and moved to the accounting department in July 2016. There is no such thing as a regular day in the accounting department, Brown said. "I just prioritize, juggle, and make it happen."
Brown says the most rewarding part of her job is seeing the growth in the students. She thrives on applying the Career Success Standards to her daily tasks through effective communication with staff and students.
Brown is a native of West Virginia who is involved in community outreach, singing and sewing in her spare time.
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A letter of thanks from one of our students
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CNA student David Cotherman thanks staff for their work
Charleston Job Corps Center often receives letters from former students
 thanking the center and its staff for their work and for the opportunities the center provided. But it's less common to get a letter of thanks from a student who currently is enrolled at the center. The center recently received a letter from student David Cotherman Jr., who is enrolled in the Certified Nurse Assistant program at Charleston Job Corps. The letter, in part, reads:
"I just wanted to take the time to write this letter to all of you to say thank you so much for everything you do here to keep this place running, safe and super fun for all of the students. I am so grateful for this program and all of the staff here.
Every day I think about where I was before being here and how much I've changed since coming here. It honestly brings tears to my eyes because of how thankful I am for Charleston Job Corps and how amazing this place really is. This literally is the best thing to ever happen to me.
It is so great that all of you take time out of your lives to help others build their lives back up. It must take a great amount of patience and perseverance to handle all of these students, and I applaud each and every single one of you for being so strong and dedicated to helping us achieve something we never thought possible....
Thank you so much for this brand new life that all of you have given me. I love how my future is starting to unfold because of all of your efforts. Without each and every one of you, there is no future for me. I am forever grateful!"
Thank you David for taking the time to say thanks, and for recognizing the value of the education and training you are receiving here at Charleston Job Corps. Careers begin here!
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Charleston Job Corps Center (CJCC) opened in June 1965 as an all-female center at the old Kanawha Hotel on Summers Street in Charleston, West Virginia. In 1976, our center became a coeducational facility. In 1997, Charleston Job Corps moved to a mountaintop campus overlooking the city of Charleston.
Charleston Job Corps Center is overseen by the Philadelphia Regional Office of Job Corps and has been operated by Horizons Youth Services since 2011. Our center director is Willie Brown. For enrollment information contact: 1-800-733-JOBS (5627).
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