The Charleston Job Corps center held its fourth annual Student Mother’s Day Celebration on May 5 to inspire the student mothers to complete their academic and career technical training to become self-sufficient and provide for their families.

The event speaker, Camilla Neal, records supervisor, emphasized the importance of using time wisely and making wise decisions that will have long-term effects. “The successful person has no more time in the day than the unsuccessful person,” Neal said. “It is how they choose to use their time that makes the difference.” Neal, who has worked at the Charleston Job Corps Center for six years, is a wife, mother of two and grandmother of four. Neal concluded her message by saying, “The future is as bright as you choose to make it. In order to be the best for your child, you must be the best for yourself.”

Students had the opportunity to ask questions regarding motherhood, parenting and dealing with challenges, and to share personal stories. The student mothers honored were Shauntia Williams, Jonnah Rouch, Ceirra Stevens, Shakiyha Bennett, Andrea Hicks, Alaisa Davis, JaNye Evans, Gabrielle Goodreau, Kachina White, Jessica Blankenship, Shabria Crum, Katherine Butler, Daishona Jones, Genna Decker, Brittany Rogers and Nauticah Walton.

In closing, Center Director Willie Brown shared with the attendees that this was his first Mother’s Day without his mother. “Cherish the time that you spend with your mother, and don’t wait until Mother’s Day to show them love and appreciation,” Brown said. He said, “I admire the student mothers for their sacrifices they make, especially being away from their children in order to prepare themselves for a successful future.

Job Corps is a no-cost education and career technical training program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor that helps young people ages 16-24 improve the quality of their lives through career technical and academic training. Job Corps is in 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The Charleston Job Corps Center is overseen by the Philadelphia Regional Office of Job Corps and is operated by Horizons Youth Services.