Many children in Muhlenberg County celebrated Read Across America, Read to Lead Day on March 2 with Greenville Mayor Jan Yonts, SOAR, the UK Extension Office and Muhlenberg Job Corps Center at the County Courthouse. Together they sponsored a book 'n treat event where children visited community leaders' offices and received a free book and treat.

	Muhlenberg Job Corps student Priscilla Diamond, aka The Cat in the Hat, with young readers.

Before entering the courthouse the children met and took photos with their favorite Dr. Seuss characters on the courthouse steps. Muhlenberg Job Corps students dressed the part, with Stephanie Holcomb as The Lorax; Priscilla Diamond as the Cat in the Hat; Matthew Burton as Horton; Sade Baker as the Grinch; Sycorya Lankford as Thing 1; and Christopher Morales as Thing 2. Other Muhlenberg Job Corps students participating included Thomas Little, Princess Bordes, Guerlanda Vilfranc, Woodjanie Chery, Jasmine McBride, Megan Bagarus and Elizabeth Jones.

The evening ended with children happily carrying bags full of treats and new books to read! A total of 1,350 new books were given to the participating children.

SOAR: Strategies, Opportunities, Advantages & Resources is an early childhood education program created by the board of the Felix E. Martin Jr. Foundation in 2011. Since then, SOAR, led by Program Manager Vicki Yonts, has implemented many county-wide educational programs for children. Based on research showing a dramatic correlation between the number of books in the home and future academic achievement of the children in that home, the Foundation has placed a special emphasis on literacy, and has given away more than 150,000 books to children in Muhlenberg County.

Stephanie Holcomb, Muhlenberg Job Corps heavy equipment operator student and MJCC ambassador, said, "It was a wonderful experience to see how happy and enthusiastic the children were to meet the characters they read about. I couldn't have been happier to be part of such a meaningful day!"

Elizabeth Jones, a Pharmacy Tech completer, college student and the Youth-2-Youth president, said, "Spending the day encouraging young children to read and interacting with them as the various Dr. Seuss characters was not only amazing but also rewarding. It was an event I was proud to be a part of, and one I would gladly do again."

"You're never too old, too wacky, too wild to pick up a book and read to a child." - Dr. Seuss

Meet Mark "Rowdy" Daniel -- a 2007 graduate of the Muhlenberg Job Corps Center, a "exo-pilot" for the research firm Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC) and an adventurer with a thirst for extreme who embarked on March 20 on a 15-state, 4,834-mile journey across America on the American Discovery Trail. Oh, and did we mention? Daniel is wheelchair bound. A horrible accident 10 years ago broke his lower back and severed his spinal cord, leaving him a paraplegic.

	Mark Daniel demonstrates the exoskeleton and reunites with mentor Otis Halcomb.

Daniel shared his story of adventure, determination and a positive attitude in the face of adversities that most people can't even begin to imagine with students at the Muhlenberg Job Corps Center on March 9.

For Daniel, it was a homecoming to a place that helped him turn his life around and to people who became the mentors and role models he needed. His message of overcoming adversities and making the most of the life you have resonated with the Muhlenberg Job Corps students he met.

Daniel has always had a thirst for extremes -- first extreme sports and dirt bikes -- then turning to drugs and alcohol to get his rush. His life began spiraling out of control, with him dealing drugs and stealing on a daily basis to feed his cocaine addiction. It was then his parents suggested Job Corps. In September 2006, Daniel enrolled at Muhlenberg Job Corps, then called Muhlenberg Career Development Center (MCDC).

	Mark Daniel as a student at Muhlenberg Job Corps in 2007, working with Otis Halcomb at his diesel shop.

Daniel admits that the first few days at Job Corps were "miserable" as he went through withdrawals, began the detox process and adjusted to a new schedule and new responsibilities. Once he finally let go of his anger, Daniel began to excel at Muhlenberg Job Corps, enrolling in the Construction Equipment Mechanics program. When he landed a Work-Based Learning internship with a diesel shop owned by Otis Halcomb, Daniel gained valuable job experience and much more. "I could not have asked for a better role model to emulate in my new found profession" than Halcomb, Daniel said. "The combination of my training at MCDC, On-the-Job Training with Mr. Halcomb and all the guidance from other staff at Job Corps gave me more than could ever be written down on paper."

When he walked across the stage at graduation, nine months after enrolling in Job Corps, Daniel knew he was infinitely more prepared to "chase down my dreams."

	Mark Daniel meets with students and staff at Muhlenberg Job Corps.

What he didn't know was that a car accident would dramatically change how he would chase those dreams. "It's been nine years since my injury, and I can honestly say that my time at Job Corps made a huge impact on how I dealt with adjusting to life in a wheelchair. The patience and confidence I learned at MCDC have been a great advantage to combating life as a paraplegic."

Daniel, who lives in Pensacola, FL, has worked for several years with technology developers at IHMC, serving as an "exo-pilot" for the institute's Mina V2 Exoskeleton, a computer-driven apparatus that allows Daniel to stand and walk. His work with IHMC has included demonstrations of the exoskeleton and competition in the 2016 Cybathlon in Zurich, Switzerland, last October, where the IHMC team finished second.

Now, Daniel is beginning his next huge challenge -- traveling the American Discovery Trail, propelling his wheelchair all 4,834 miles. The trail starts in Lewes, DE, and ends at San Francisco, CA. Follow his journey and check out the amazing tests, competitions and awards he's won with the exoskeleton on his Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RowdyMCD

Armed with an unstoppable spirit and the lessons of responsibility and self-discipline that he learned at Muhlenberg Job Corps, Mark "Rowdy" Daniel has no limits.

On March 9, John G. Dills, staff sergeant/military recruiter for the United States Army pulled into the Muhlenberg Job Corps Center driving an interactive semi-trailer. At first, the students thought it was a former student visiting to show off his new truck. Little did they know, they were about to learn about the Army's history and participate in interactive military games.

	MJCC student Denver Hamilton, a heavy equipment operator student from Chesapeake, VA, competes with the interactive game system.

Students had to get dressed in proper military gear before they could handle weaponry and compete in the simulation military game.

The army recruiters also gave the students physical challenges, including burpees, sit-ups and push-ups for the reward of Army swag.

The Muhlenberg Job Corps Center has great relationships with all military recruiters. Military enrollment is considered a job placement for any student graduating from the program. Within the past year, MJCC has placed seven students into U.S. military services.

Often times Mother Nature can take its toll on structures and appearances at campgrounds in Kentucky's state parks. At Lake Malone State Park in Dunmor, KY, the RV campsites had seen better days ... until recently when Muhlenberg Job Corps students used their job training to improve the campsites AND get great on-the-job training in the process.

	Muhlenberg Job Corps students and Instructor Chuck Chaney rebuild ground walls of campsites at Malone State Park.

Teresa Wells, Lake Malone State Park director, reached out to the Muhlenberg Job Corps Center for help since the park's funds are extremely limited. The heavy equipment operation instructors and students were more than willing to help. For several weeks the students have gained valuable hands-on experience with the Holland Utility Tractor and Kubota Mini Excavator, while also learning and using carpentry skills to reinforce the ground walls of multiple campsites. The heavy truck driving (CDL) program at Muhlenberg Job Corps also assisted by delivering loads of gravel for each site.

The park director stated, "The students are doing a great job and the campsites are starting to look amazing. I'm very impressed with the work and how polite and respectful the students have been."

Muhlenberg Job Corps HEO Instructors Chuck Chaney and Nuntawood Smith are overseeing this project.

Lake Malone State Park is well known for its 788-acre lake and 338 acres of park land. The lake is enclosed by dramatic 50-foot sandstone bluffs above the water's edge and surrounded by hardwood forests full of hiking trails.

The Muhlenberg Job Corps Center serves youth ages 17-24 who obtain vocational skill training they need to be successful in their chosen career. More than 70 percent of Job Corps students earn industry-recognized credentials in one or more than 100 trades in high growth industries. If you know someone who could benefit from this free program, contact Karen Robinson at (270) 377-3269.

Muhlenberg Job Corps recently recognized two outstanding employees for their service to the center and its students.

Human Resource Specialist Sheila Foster was named the center's quarterly Above & Beyond Employee, and Finance Specialist Brandy Givens was named February's Employee of the Month.

Above & Beyond