Two welding students from the Muhlenberg Job Corps are among 11 Job Corps students who are spending two weeks in Virginia completing Phase II of the Long’s Chapel Restoration Project. Other students represent the Charleston and Carl D. Perkins Job Corps centers. The project, which started Oct. 19, will run through Oct. 30.

Long’s Chapel is a historic site located just outside Harrisonburg, VA, that served as a center for worship, education and community for newly freed slaves living in the rural community of Zenda. The simple wooden structure was purchased in 1869 and became a focal point for Zenda residents before eventually falling into disrepair.

Phase I of the Long’s Chapel Restoration Project was completed in August 2009 by students from the Whitney M. Young, Muhlenberg, North Texas and Sacramento Job Corps centers.

The two-week Phase II project will give students the opportunity to put their job training to use and earn up to 80 hours of work-based learning. The project will include site preparation, a fresh look to the chapel’s exterior, a new ramp to provide easier and safety access to the chapel along with a new landing for a new entrance to the building, improved walkways, fresh landscaping and additional seating inside the chapel.

Muhlenberg Job Corps students participating in the Long’s Chapel Restoration Project are Chester Epperson and Cordarious Fountain.

Epperson, from Humbolt, TN, serves as a dorm president at the center, and has been active in the welding program’s work-based learning project to build 40 air conditioning unit covers for the Charleston, WV, Job Corps Center. He has obtained certifications in forklift and Green Environment and plans to further his education by pursuing advanced training for pipe welding. Epperson’s career counselor, Christy Shemwell, noted that “Chester is a great mentor and leader to his peers, and he excels at all of the Career Success Standards. He is highly respected by staff and by his peers.” Johnny Mefford, Eppeson’s welding instructor at Muhlenberg Job Corps, said Epperson “is very motivated, hard-working and always willing to learn.”

Fountain, from Brewton, AL, plans to complete the CDL and Heavy Equipment Operator career technical training programs at Muhlenberg in addition to the welding program. He has obtained certifications in forklift and Green Environment, in addition to obtaining his high school diploma. He serves as a dorm vice president on center, and has been named “Most Improved Student in the HEO Foundations Course and Most Improved Student in Welding. After completing the programs at Muhlenberg Job Corps, Fountain plans to enlist in the military and use his welding skills there. His Career Technical Training Instructor Keith Austin, noted that Fountain “has excellent social skills and job training skills,” which make him an excellent candidate for the Long’s Chapel Project.