Students from the Brick Vocation created an award that was used by the U.S. Secretary of Labor to honor the workers that responded to the Upper Big Branch Mining disaster.

Students developed and made, by hand, 215 awards for the U.S. Secretary of Labor.  Each award was hand chiseled and polished by the students in the Brick Vocation.  They were awarded to Department of Labor recipients on Tuesday, May 10, 2011 during a televised ceremony that was held in Washington, D.C.

U.S. Department of Labor Secretary, Hilda Solis, personally thanked the Westover Job Corps Center Brick Vocation students for all of their hard work in developing this very prestigious award.  Via satellite, the Brick students were able to take part in the award ceremony and share their story about the award they developed.

Jason Laverty, the Brick Instructor, said, “The awards were made in honor and gratitude to the men that lost their lives as they worked to fuel this great country through their efforts in mining. This opportunity to honor them was not taken lightly. The Westover Job Corps Center’s Brick Vocation in cooperation with the International Masonry Institute, the training division for the Allied Craft Workers is proud to honor those that worked to ensure that the lives of all Americans are better.”

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2011/05/westover_job_corps_students_cr.html