Valencia Gordon admits she was nervous before being interviewed on Chicago Public Radio WBEZ 95.1 on Sept. 10.
    But all in all, it was an exciting day for this 22-year-old Joliet Job Corps student. She got to see Navy Pier for the first time. And she came off on the radio as so intelligent and articulate, she has become a wonderful spokesperson for other Job Corps students.
    “I wanted to get the message right,” she said. “It was an incredible opportunity to get the message out. I was nervous about saying the right things.”
   STARS Coordinator Jan Larsen, who drove Valencia to the interview and made sure she made a pre-interview phone call the day before from WBEZ producers, wasn’t able to hear Valencia be interviewed. “But I’ve heard a recording of Job Corps’ portion of the show and I am so impressed! Valencia’s voice came out clear on how our program has helped her get her life together. She is an amazing young woman.”
   Good things have happened to both Valencia and Joliet Job Corps since the interview was arranged by publicist Kerri McClimen.
    First, Valencia’s photo pops up when you go to the njcaweb.org Web site. National Job Corps Association’s site has seven photos on the home page of their site; Valencia is pictured with Helene Williams, a student from Chicago Paul Simon, on popup No. 2.
    When Chef Nicolas Daloia showed Valencia her photo on the Web site’s home page, she was excited.
   “I was like, wow!” said Valencia.
    Valencia was also excited to have her interview touted on NJCA’s national newsflash to all Centers last Friday. “And teachers who didn’t know me before are speaking to me and saying ‘so, you’re Valencia.’”
     Valencia says the entire experience has been “interesting and fun.”