Daniel Oakes, a former Woodstock Security student, is now traveling all over fighting fires. Daniel first came to Woodstock from Virginia on December 1, 2009.

He completed his Security trade and in October 2011 transferred to the Schenck Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center in North Carolina where he competed the Advanced Wildland Firefighting trade and successfully transitioned on June 17, 2011.

Now back in Virginia, Daniels is working for Patrick Environmental, Inc. fighting fires.

At Woodstock, Daniel was known for “always helping out,” said Center Director Tanisha Nixon.

“He was the big guy with the big voice, but would do anything you needed him to do, move furniture, help with a student or set up anything,” said Nixon, adding that he had zero AWOL days and zero negative incidents while at Woodstock.

Nixon recalls early on speaking to Daniel everyday.

“He said to me ‘Mrs. Nixon, I bet you don’t know my name,’ she said. “I didn’t at the time and promised him I would find out and I did. I called him by name every since. He was a role model student and the Center is so proud of him.”