For a few weeks on-center, it seemed like not a creature was stirring…but look behind the curtains, and the recreation staff was hard at work.

While most Whitney M. Young Jr. Job Corps Center students go home for the holidays, a few always remain on-campus – and this year, the staff put in extra effort to make their holiday special.

Devin Holt, Recreation Assistant, helped plan and implement some activities for the handful of remaining students during Christmas and New Year’s. Holt took them to go roller skating, ice skating, meals out, and hosted activities that go from making Christmas ornaments and gingerbread houses to video game tournaments. There was even a trip to get out and look at Christmas lights around town.

“I was just focused on the amount of students we had and who the students were – the things they like, they things they don’t like – to try to implement trips and activities that all the students can get involved in,” Holt said. “We can go home. They weren’t necessarily able to.”

According to student Isaiah Daniels, who remained here over break, it was a good time.

“It was peaceful. I was able to hang out and have fun,” he said.

Holt focused not only on his own time as a student to guide his thinking, but he also thought about what he had now that the students didn’t.

“Holidays are important,” Holt said. “I wanted to bring that tradition to them to not only show them Christmas spirit, but like I always tell people, Charger Pride can’t be denied.”