“During the month of October, 325 of our students and 41 staff members once again took part in the national Make a Difference Day,” advised San Diego Job Corps’ Business and Community Liaison Frank Buttino. “Throughout the year our students contribute thousands of service hours to a wide-range of community and government entities, but this event is special as we joined millions of Americans dedicated to helping others and creating change.”

As in past years, Job Corps students and staff worked with the Kiwanis Club of Imperial Beach-South Bay in selling newspapers as part of the San Diego Union-Tribune Kids’ NewsDay fundraiser, which benefited Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego. “The students were ready to take part in the fundraising effort when I arrived at the center at 5:45am,” Mr. Buttino stated. “Working with Kiwanis Club members they quickly sold all their papers and enjoyed taking part in this worthwhile cause.”

During the month a group of Job Corps students from the Welding and Carpentry trades and several staff members took part in a school and park clean up in City Heights. One evening over a hundred students from several trades participated in a neighborhood clean up in the area adjacent to the Job Corps Center. “It’s certainly a part of being good neighbors, and also affords students an opportunity to show their appreciation for the free training education and training they’re receiving at Job Corps,” Mr. Buttino continued. “Our Plumbing and Electrical trades also continued their on-going work at the Tijuana River Estuary during the month.”

“As part of our Make a Difference Day activities, we also reconnected with two community-based organizations,” advised Nina Delacruz, Career Technical Skills Training Coordinator for the San Diego Center. “Our Painting trade students helped paint several houses for the Rebuilding San Diego Together organization during the month. Bricklaying, Cement, Plastering and Carpentry trade students joined with hundreds of volunteers for Chula Vista’s annual Christmas in October event,” Mrs. Delacruz continued. “This year’s program focused on military veterans and their loved ones, including two Pearl Harbor survivors, disabled veterans, and a few widows. 10 homes were renovated by the volunteers.”

“We think it’s important for our students to apply the skills they are learning in the classroom in their community service work,” Mr. Buttino stated. “They learn team work, problem solving, and gain the skills and confidence they need to be successful after graduating from Job Corps. Three million young people have graduated from Job Corps since it’s creation in 1964,” Mr. Buttino advised. “Their lives were changed because our country believes it is important that we train out-of-school, out-of-work young people to become productive and contributing members of our society. Our Make a Difference Day work and our on-going community service is a way for our students to change the lives of others.”