Student Lillie Perkins (wearing red T-shirt) walks with State Rep. Natalie Manley (wearing gray T-shirt) in the 5K benefiting Joliet's Morning Star Mission.

Joliet Job Corps Center students know how to multi-task.

On July 30, six of them raised money for a local homeless shelter while spreading the word about the program — and they boosted their physical fitness levels at the same time. They competed in Mission: Possible, the 5K run and walk benefiting Morning Star Mission, a homeless shelter in Joliet. Several of the students are members of the Jaguar Fitness Club, a group that meets twice a week with Records Officer Ardrenna Dean to exercise and improve their health.

The students, Ms. Dean and BCL Stewart Warren arrived at the mission at 7 a.m. that day wearing “Hey, Ask Me About Job Corps” T-shirts. As they waited for the 5K to begin, they talked to the other competitors about the program, their studies and plans for the future.

“I came to Job Corps to learn Office Administration and get ready for the Air Force,” said student Romaun Johnson, talking to a man who noticed his shirt.

Student Lillie Perkins  made a wonderful new friend during the walk — she met State Rep. Natalie Manley and spent most of the walk chatting with her. As they walked together, they kept an eye on a young woman who was participating with her three small boys, often stopping to help the children get water bottles out of their backpacks.

“I told her about how we fixed up the gazebo on Center,” said Lillie, who studies Building Construction Technology. “I told her she should come and see it herself!”

At the end of the 5K, students Van Iang and Sam Lewis were thrilled to learn they had won first-place medals in their age groups.