JOB CORPS NEWS

Tichana Birt Age: 27 Hometown: Bayshore, NY Region: Philadelphia Center: Blue Ridge Dates enrolled: 5/17/2016 – 3/1/2018 Training: Certified Nursing Assistant, High School Diploma Tichana Birt was born to a single mother in Bayshore, New York. Her mother was very...

Dr. William Reid, the pastor of New Hope Baptist Church in Bristol, VA, continued the tradition of serving as guest speaker as students and staff of Blue Ridge Job Corps observe Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Although COVID-19 protocols prevented Dr. Reid from visiting...

Ahmeena Moody Smith Age: 25 Hometown: Richmond, VA Region: Philadelphia Center: Blue Ridge Dates enrolled: 5/26/2015 – 12/16/2015 Training: Certified Nursing Assistant Ahmeena Moody Smith grew up in Richmond, VA, but her life changed drastically at age 9....

Aliyah Crabbe Age: 24 Hometown: Fredericksburg, VA Region: Philadelphia Center: Blue Ridge Dates enrolled: 10/25/2016 – 4/20/2018 Training: Clinical Medical Assistant, EKG Technician, Phlebotomy Technician, Patient Care Technician Aliyah Crabbe graduated from high...

Jaida Ortiz Age: 23 Hometown: Charlotte, NC Region: Philadelphia Center: Blue Ridge Dates enrolled: 10/4/2016 – 12/13/2017 Training: Clinical Medical Assistant, EKG Technician, Phlebotomy Technician Jaida Ortiz gets much of her work ethic from her mother. As a single...

Mariah Alesi Age: 19 Hometown: Newport News, VA Region: Philadelphia Center: Blue Ridge Dates enrolled: 10/16/2018 – 5/10/2019 Training: High School Diploma, Medical Administrative Assistant Mariah Alesi enrolled at Blue Ridge Job Corps at the age of 16, as she looked...

Morgan Shore Age: 19 Hometown: Mt. Airy, NC Region: Philadelphia Center: Blue Ridge Dates enrolled: 12/10/2019 – 9/30/2020 Training: Medical Administrative Assistant Morgan Shore was a brand-new mother when she made the decision to apply to Blue Ridge Job Corps. As a...

Sarai Gallo Cruz Age: 20 Hometown: Reston, VA Region: Philadelphia Center: Blue Ridge Dates enrolled: 9/23/2019 – 1/8/21 Training: Certified Nursing Assistant After graduation high school, Sarai Gallo Cruz enjoyed a gap year as she spent time with family, grew as a...

Anya OGarro Age: 20 Hometown: Newport News, VA Region: Philadelphia Center: Blue Ridge Dates enrolled: 7/30/2019 – 4/9/21 Training: Certified Nursing Assistant “I was really looking for the college experience without having to take on debt,” explained Blue Ridge Job...

Blue Ridge Job Corps joined 121 Job Corps centers across the country to celebrate the 10th Annual “National Job Corps Commencement Day” ceremony on September 9, 2021, to congratulate the Job Corps students who showed Job Corps Works! by completing the program this...

Danielle Crement Age: 22 Hometown: Hopewell, VA Region: Philadelphia Center: Blue Ridge Dates enrolled: 10/7/2019 – 2/19/21 Training: Clinical Medical Assistant, Phlebotomy Tech., Patient Care Tech. “I came to Blue Ridge Job Corps because I knew that it would lead to...

Brenda Gomez Age: 21 Hometown: Hopewell, VA Region: Philadelphia Center: Blue Ridge Dates enrolled: 9/15/2018 – 7/1/20 Training: Clinical Medical Assistant “I grew up in a home where my parents provided a great example of work ethic,” explained Blue Ridge Job Corps...

Candice Baylor Age: 22 Hometown: Marion, VA, VA Region: Philadelphia Center: Blue Ridge Dates enrolled: 4/12/2017 – 1/9/2018 Training: Clinical Medical Assistant, Phlebotomy, EKG Tech., Patient Care Tech. Candice Baylor grew up in Richmond, VA, with dreams of working...

Hannah McBeth Age: 22 Hometown: Fredericksburg, VA Region: Philadelphia Center: Blue Ridge Dates enrolled: 5/15/2018 – 8/30/2019 Training: Clinical Medical Assistant, Phlebotomy Tech., Patient Care Tech., EKG Tech. Shante Jones is a 30-year-old mother of two from...

Tyneequa Staton-Fuller Age: 24 Hometown: Suffolk, VA Region: Philadelphia Center: Blue Ridge Dates enrolled: 2/25/2015 – 4/26/2016 Training: Certified Nursing Assistant, Medical Administrative Assistant, Certified Phlebotomy Technician “Life was hard growing up,”...

Like most any organization, Blue Ridge Job Corps had to adapt quickly to the changing landscape amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2020, this meant all current students, save for a few with special circumstances, were transported back home, and away from the Job...

For the month of June, Blue Ridge Job Corps welcomed Smyth County Community Hospital’s (SSCH) Interim Chief Nursing Officer Trista Ruff as a virtual guest speaker. During this session she discussed a variety of employment opportunities available at SCCH and Francis...

Leeyah Huggins Age: 26 Hometown: Roanoke, VA Region: Philadelphia Center: Blue Ridge Dates enrolled: 11/18/2014 – 3/26/2016 Training: Clinical Medical Assistant Leeyah Huggins described herself as a “soft spoken kid” growing up. Leeyah’s mother worked hard to provide...

Tanya Green Age: 27 Hometown: Norfolk, VA Region: Philadelphia Center: Blue Ridge Dates enrolled: 9/30/2014 – 8/28/2015 Training: Medical Assistant, Phlebotomy, EKG Tech, Patient Care Tech While making good grades wasn’t typically an issue for Tanya Green, but in...

Shontera Boyd Age: 23 Hometown: Winnsboro, SC Region: Philadelphia Center: Blue Ridge Dates enrolled: 8/11/2015 – 7/8/2016 Training: Medical Assistant, Phlebotomy, EKG Tech, Patient Care Tech Shontera Boyd graduated from Westwood High School in Winnsboro, South...