Students from the Carl D. Perkins Job Corps Center’s Carpentry Class honored Martin Luther King Jr. a bit early when they performed a week of service Jan. 9-14 at Fitzpatrick Baptist Church in Prestonsburg, KY. Students Ismael Perez, Brandon Harless, Austin Justice and Harvey Allen spent the week assisting with the remodeling of the church. Students framed up walls, hung dry wall and laid block. Students not only helped a good cause, they also gained valuable on-the-job training.

Carl D. Perkins students Tyquan Alexander, Daniel Eackles and Royneca Brown spent Jan. 17 at several schools doing MLK Day activities with elementary students. The Job Corps students led youngsters at the First United Methodist Church in Paintsville, KY, in a brown and white egg diversity activity. The young students cracked each egg and discovered that even though the eggs were different colors on the outside, they were the same inside. Perkins Job Corps students also read books to the students and had discussions after each book.

Students at Porter Elementary School in Hager Hill, KY enjoyed hearing Ta’Quohn Alexander read the book, “My Martin Luther King Jr.” The young students then wrote down their dreams on wings of cut-out doves the students prepared for the activity. Students also completed the “Helping Hands to Change the World” activity.