On August 21st, the Little Rock Job Corps Center held our summer commencement ceremony for over 125 graduates. The Center would like to send a special thank you to all of our special guests that joined in celebrating our students accomplishments. Special guests included: U. S. Congressman French Hill, Tim Riley of U.S. Congressman John Boozman’s office, and State Representative Fredrick Love. Special recognition awards were given to our community partners the Arkansas Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission (DuShun Scarbrough and Walter Washington) and Central Defense Security (Darnell McClinton). Former State Senator and founder of The STAND Foundation, Inc., Tracy Steele, was the featured commencement speaker. His speech centered on our graduation theme “Picture Your Future”, having our students imagine themselves in the Year 2025 and where they would be. He went on to tell the students they would reach roadblocks and detours on the road of life and they should not be discouraged with those challenges, but drive around them or find another way. David Valtierra and Christopher Pickens served as the Commencement Valedictorian and Salutatorian respectively. Congratulations to all of our Graduates of the Class of 2015! We wish you much success in your future endeavors!

The graduation ceremony was featured on KARK 4 News and in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette newspaper.