Jacksonville Job Corps students participated in the annual Ground Hog Shadowing Day February 1-3, 2012.  Students participated with the Jacksonville Community Engagement Group which hosts an annual symposium –Reclaiming Our Young Black Males.  This was the first year of the youth component for the group.  The objective of the symposium was to build awareness of alternative and non traditional programming that will extend the academic and social development of minority males beyond the classroom into their families and communities.

 Mr. Kevin Powell was the facilitator for the Youth Forum, he is considered to be one of America’s leading political and cultural voices.  An acclaimed community activist and award winning writer.  He is the product of extreme poverty, fatherlessness, and violence but rose from the depths of despair to have a brilliant career.

 Mr. Gerard Robinson, Florida’s Commissioner of Education was the keynote speaker for the symposium.  He said, “Change must come and the time to act is now.”

 Students participated in goal setting exercises, discussed how they can strengthen the education system to help themselves and other students achieve and engaged in exercises that reflected on their vision for their lives.

 Other activities students participated in included hands on engagement at The Doctors Center, Mission Harvest and on center hands on training.  Students will participate in follow up activities by touring City Hall and meeting with City Councilmen.

 Photographed above with Mayor Alvin Brown are Ms. Alethia James and Patrice Murray.  These students participated in the Magnet Mania Program where hundreds of students and parents sought information about options and school choice.