Left to Right: Megan Dauphinee,1^st place, Alaska Job Corps, Jason Pelletier,2^nd place, Penobscot Job Corps, Edna Primrose, National Director of Job Corps, Heather Martin,3rd place, Pittsburg Job Corps.

At a Washington, DC, celebration on  Tuesday, February 7,2012  Penobscot Job Corps student Jason Pelletier was awarded a $1,000 scholarship as the second-place winner of the 2012 National Job Corps Association (NJCA) Oratory Competition, “Job Corps Works… And It Works for Me Too!” The scholarship was awarded by the Fluor Corporation.

The competition was open to students from all 125 Job Corps centers across the country. As one of three finalists, Pelletier was invited to Capitol Hill to deliver his address at a breakfast ceremony with hundreds of guests, including members of Congress.

In his closing remarks Jason stated, “The most amazing thing about my story is that it is not unique, thousands of students across the country have had their lives positively impacted by Job Corps.”

 “Jason’s speech was a very courageous and honest reminder of the crucial role Job Corps plays in the lives of more than 60,000 students every year,” said LaVera Leonard, President of the NJCA. “Job Corps is an important economic engine that helps disadvantaged young people overcome unimaginable life struggles to become proud contributors to their local communities. Because of its unique model, Job Corps works for taxpayers, employers, communities and at-risk youth.”

 Jason also shared his story with Maine Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins in their Washington DC offices. To conclude their day in the nation’s capital all three NJCA Oratory finalist were given a private tour of the West Wing of the White House by Senior White House policy advisor Portia Wu!