Student Government Association (SGA) officers from the Cleveland Job Corps Center (CJCC) joined SGA delegations from 10 other Job Corps centers April 4-7, 2017, for a four-day SGA Leadership Conference at Camp Horizons near Harrisonburg, Virginia.

The semi-annual Leadership Conference is designed to help Job Corps students improve leadership, team-building, communication and critical thinking skills as well as assume enhanced leadership roles at their centers.

The conference culminated with SGA delegates presenting action plans that addressed concerns on center, to their peers. The CJCC action plan focused on the recruiting process for new students, ensuring that prospective students receive accurate information about the CJCC, and helping new students adapt to center life by creating a welcoming atmosphere. The CJCC SGA team is calling for higher standards and more rigorous training for Job Corps recruiters. Additionally, the CJCC SGA will reach out to new students by attending Career Preparation Period (CPP) classes to meet new recruits, be available to answer any questions and provide support.

The presentation of the action plans followed three days of intense leadership training that combined classroom sessions with outdoor high and low challenges. The highlight of the conference was the final evening’s banquet, featuring guest speaker Art Dean, Executive Director of Campus and Community Programs for Access and Inclusion at James Madison University. Dean urged students to lean on people who have their best interests at heart, not let experiences define who you are and make decisions with your future in mind.

Representing Cleveland Job Corps at the Spring 2017 SGA Leadership Conference were Carlos Vargas, President; Angel Wilson, Vice President; Ashley Mitchel, Secretary; JaVaughn Mallett, Treasurer and Chanel Robinson, Sergeant-at-Arms. The group was accompanied by CJCC staff members Cheryl Harris, SGA Coordinator and Markeda Carter, Residential Advisor.