Gerald R. Ford Job Corps Center graduate, Antoinette Wellons was recently accepted to the Treasure Island Advance Training Program for Culinary Arts located in San Francisco, California. She will be the first student from the Gerald R. Ford center to embark on this amazing opportunity.
As a high school graduate from Detroit, Antoinette Wellons knew she wanted to pursue some type of education following high school. She attended Ferris State University where she found adjusting to college life and succeeding academically to be challenging. After more than one attempt to reach her educational goals she was dismissed from the school and returned home. It was after her return she learned about Job Corps through her Aunt. After learning more about the program and going through orientation she decided to give it a try and arrived at the Gerald R. Ford Job Corps Center on May 11, 2010.
Antoinette was drawn to the Culinary Arts program and began training for the program in June 2010. She successfully achieved her Serve Safe certification in December 2010 which she feels demonstrates her accomplishment and growth since she arrived on center.
After having much success in her trade she was encouraged by staff to submit an essay for the chance to be selected as a Winter 2010 Student Graduation Speaker. She was selected as the winner of the contest and was able to speak in front of her peers on graduation night. Many of her fellow students personally thanked her and said her speech inspired them. Antoinette was proud of herself for having the courage to speak. “To know that I was able to have an impact like that was remarkable” states Antoinette, “I didn’t know that I would be able to do that. It was really nerve racking to speak, but worth it.”
Due to her success, Antoinette was selected for the advance training program at Treasure Island in San Francisco, California which she will depart for this month. She hopes to one day own her own business and feels the advance training in Culinary Arts will help her to achieve this goal. “Everyone is so proud to see how much I have accomplished and grown” explains Antoinette, “this program has got me focused on being a leader. I realized I can have a better life for myself.”