THE ODLE WAY Quarterly Newsletter December 2017 WHERE MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE DRIVES SUCCESS Over the next several issues of The Odle Way, we will The last quarter was packed with success stories, new dive deeper into the four tenets of ODLE Management. partnerships, community support and an ODLE-wide These principles guide the everyday programs, initiatives effort to celebrate the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and out-of-the-box efforts we do to educate, train the and National Office of Job Corps’ (NOJC) Youth 2 underserved youth we serve, and help our colleagues Youth (Y2Y): Partners 4 Peace initiative. Not only did maximize performance outcomes. This month, we will many of our students travel to Washington, D.C. to serve focus on Opportunities for Growth. ODLE strongly as ambassadors, we also mobilized students, staff, believes that by providing both our staff and students community partners, law enforcement stakeholders, and opportunities for growth, we can build a high-performing businesses to bring awareness to such issues as: peace, workforce. anti-bullying, non-violence and learning to listen and accept others. Below is a sampling of the many local In November, the Tulsa Job Corps Center hosted a activities that were organized and held on-and-off our Job graduation ceremony. Staff, family, friends, local elected Corps campuses. officials and employer and community partners gathered to celebrate the accomplishments and successes of our ▪ The Little Rock Job Corps Center and its Y2Y young people. A Job Corps graduation is captivating efforts made news on local KARK (CBS) affiliate because they encapsulate pure joy, happiness and hope and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. for the future because of the many opportunities that lie ahead due to Job Corps’ transformational and wrap- around nurturing services. Eriel Robinson, Y2Y ambassador, said: Nothing is that bad where it should end in loss of life, understanding each other’s position is key to mending fences and building bridges, that is what I want for our student body and the world. If we all try a little bit every day, we can heal the world. ▪ As part of ODLE’s Y2Y efforts, the New Orleans volunteered to Job Corps Center was featured on WWLTV participate. Top (CBS) news. organizations like Google are using this ▪ During Y2Y week, Long Beach Job Corps concept to seek Center held a basketball game between the recommendations and students and offices from the Long Beach Police ideas to create a Department West Division. The game brought bottom-up approach together both students and officers to empower to institute one another to prevent violence and aggression. enhancements and improvements. DOL ▪ The Pittsburgh Job Corps Center, along with all / NOJC has hosted of our other campuses, hosted a ‘peace walk as several regional part of Y2Y week. Local police officers joined conferences and our students and staff. Pittsburgh also held a Y2Y Long Beach and pledge that attracted over 60 students to stand-up Pittsburgh Job against violence. Corps Centers met and interacted with National In addition, ODLE shared profiles of our student Director of Job Corps, Lenita Jacobs-Simmons. ambassadors on our social media platforms and with congressional allies and supporters. In fact, many of those ODLE BCL of the Quarter members of Congress sent congratulatory letters to our student ambassadors recognizing their efforts serving as We want to recognize our BCL of the Quarter – Sandy role models and leaders on campuses. Annino of the Long Beach Job Corps Center in Southern California. Sandy has consistently exceeded expectations. She has developed and nurtured plausible relationships with congressional staff and members of Congress. At Long Beach’s joint Workforce and Community Relations Council meeting, Sandy was able to secure participation from all the major local and federal elected officials, including: U.S. Representatives Alan Lowenthal, Nanette Barragan, Lucille Roybal- Allard, Councilmember Roberto Uranga and Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell. Sandy also works closely with Long Beach’s Work- Based Learning Coordinator to establish both internship and community service sites and opportunities for our Student-Centered Design young people. Sandy is incredibly responsive to everyone’s needs, the center and community – truly a Cultivating the mind of the 21st-century learner requires caring and spirited business and community liaison. a different school of thought than it ODLE BCL of the Year did in years past. When DOL Paul Williams, Pittsburgh Job Corps Center, is announced the ODLE’s BCL of the Year! Paul is our man about town! Student- He’s consistently and constantly creating new Centered Design connections and linkages, learning about Pittsburgh’s project, ODLE workforce challenges and employment, service-learning immediately and higher-education opportunities for Job Corps youth in the Pittsburgh area. Paul is committed to building resolution. Be sure to check out ODLE’s Facebook page strong partnerships with employers, community for a video of the students during the vote! organizations and local and federal elected officials, including U.S. Representative Mike Doyle and Keith Carrasco Center Director, Jorge Pedroza and SGA Rothus and Senators Bob Casey and Pat Toomey. president, He’s also always ready, willing and able to help other Michael Kelly BCLs across ODLE and other staff with sample met with the invitation letters, agenda templates and other resources Mayor of El materials. Paul creates innovated service-learning Paso, Dee activities for Job Corps youth with local organizations. Margo to We are so lucky to have Paul as Pittsburgh and ODLE’s discuss and man about town! coordinate new Innovation Spotlight partnership opportunities, The Pittsburgh Job Corps Center launched a joint including community service projects and SGA hosting labor and transportation highway construction pilot. This an upcoming leadership training at City Hall. Mayor new pilot has been a year in the making with interest and Margo was extremely complimentary of Carrasco and its support from the Construction Association of Western impact on the local community. Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. The demand for workers in the Shortly before Winter Break, Carrasco hosted a unique highway construction industry has exponentially and fun evening to teach students the art of knitting! The increased, and it is estimated that the transportation classroom was filled with sounds of frustration and infrastructure backlog is over $191 billion. DOL and the laughter and squeals of pure joy as they adorned their NOJC approved a newly-developed Advanced Highway newly-knitted scarves. Approximately 12 students went Heavy Construction TAR in September 2017 and in through a 3-step YouTube tutorial to learn the basics and November Pittsburgh held its first class. materials were donated by a Job Corps staff member’s family member. ODLE Center Highlights David L. Carrasco, El Paso, Texas – In October, both El Paso County and The Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce recognized Carrasco, including approving and adopting a resolution designating October 26, 2017 as ‘David L. Carrasco Job Corps Center Graduation Day!’ Carrasco Student Government Association (SGA) leaders represented the center during the El Paso County Commissioners Court vote officially adopting the Little Rock, Little Rock, Ark. – Who’s saving who? Office of U.S. Representative Nanette Diaz Barragan Little Rock Job Corps Center students work regularly toured the Long Beach Job Corps Center. From left to with the Friends of the Animal Village to prepare right are Long Beach students Johanna Castaneda and animals for adoption. Little Rock’s partnership was Randy Martinez, with Morgan Roth, Deputy District featured on Facebook and was one of the highest- Director, Matthew Davis, Long Beach Center Director performing posts of the year! and students Tamon McGee and Serena Gil. New Orleans, New Orleans, La. – Preston Favorite, Customer Service Manager of Entergy Louisiana, a Fortune 500 Company, told students during a center a awards ceremony that persistence is the key to success: “It took me 19 years to finish college. I was working two jobs, getting married, buying my first home and raising kids. Don’t give into fear. Don’t ever panic. Always prepare and never, never, never give up.” The New Orleans Job Corps Center also organized a field trip of a lifetime! Chef Joseph St. Paul of the American Federation Education Foundation showed New Orleans culinary students new skills. New Orleans is one of only seven Job Corps centers selected by ACFEF to recertify the Job Corps culinary program. Chef St. Paul savored some New Orleans favorite dishes Long Beach, Long Beach, Cali. – As the American during his visit. Red Cross staff and volunteers cared for individuals, families and businesses impacted by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria and wildfires in Northern and Southern California, the Long Beach Job Corps Center took action by donating blood at a local Red Cross drive! In addition, Long Beach secured participation from an executive at the Los Angeles Red Cross chapter to join a Community Relations Old Dominion, Monroe, Va. – The Old Dominion Job Council meeting. Corps Center welcomed 50+ students from the Hurricane Irma damaged Gainesville Job Corps Center. Student In early ambassadors outfitted in new bright red shirts were ready November 2017, sources of information and friendship! representatives from the San Old Dominion also celebrated Red Ribbon Week Pedro District sponsored by the National Family Partnership. Nearly 100 students signed the Drug Free Pledge. Students Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA – Each month, Pittsburgh received red ribbons and t-shirts with the 2017 theme: chooses on deserving student to receive the ‘Center Your Future is Key, So Stay Drug Free to raise Directors Award.’ The award is presented to a student awareness about the dangers of drug abuse. who exemplifies Job Corps tradition and The Odle Way. In October 2017, Pittsburgh recognized Shafi Hussein.