Alaska Job Corps students are on their holiday winter break. On December 17th, they started their homeward trek. Some are local from the Matanuska Susitna Valley. Some are from Anchorage, one hour away. But many are from far away villages, all across Alaska. It may take as much as one bus ride, three airplane flights and a snowmachine ride to actually get home, if you lived in Emmonak, along the Bering Sea coast.
Alaska Job Corps keeps the holiday connection with their students even while they are on winter break. Post cards and letters are sent; emails and texts; and even the occasional phone call.
“How are you doing? What’s new for you and your family?” “Any problems?” These are the questions and the answers are always interesting–especially those that involve star wars and smoked aged walrus fin.
The underlying message is concern and connectivity.  As Ben Kainer, Electical Instructor says, “We miss them.  And we want them to make good choices. ”  Staff wants all students to return safely and finish their training goals they set when they started their Job Corps program.