Alaska Job Corps student Eugina is both alert and accomplished. But it wasn’t always this way. Eugina has had to fight her way to this level, a victim of foster systems, adoptions, homelessness and lack of education. But today, she is far away from those challenges. In the past year Eugina has been successful in her Job Corps Accounting trade and is on to her Office Administration certification. She has done an excellent job at offsite local employers’ work base learning sites. She has a part time job. In the past year she has acquired her high school diploma, driver’s license and major leadership positions on center, including Peer Court, Student Government, Hall leader, and as a New Student Advisor.

Eugina was asked what drove her to excel. She responded simply that she wants to do the best she can. “Job Corps offered the opportunities and I just grabbed them. I want to show that hard work and struggle cannot stop you.”

Eugina expects to be a Executive Assistant or an Accountant, hopefully working for a city or state government. In particular she would like to work in law enforcement. “I’m flexible and get along with people, “ she says with a smile. Eugenia is fluent in both English and Russian. She would like to learn Spanish and sign language because communication is critical.

Last week she was awarded a car, for her employment needs, by a regional homelessness support group, MyHouse. They have been impressed with her work skills and her attitude and shared it on Facebook.

Eugina says, “Between the help of the Alaska Job Corps and MyHouse, I feel like I have two families supporting and fighting for me. It feels good, especially when safety and support has been lacking for most of my life.”

Alaska Job Corps Center Director, Malyn Smith says that Eugina’s story is the true essence of the Job Corps program. “Helping young people like Gina thrive, is what the Job Corps program is all about.”