Job Corps Center

Officials in Gulfport say if the U.S. Department of Labor doesn’t sign an agreement by July 31, Gulfport will lose $30 million to restore the city’s job corps complex.
News 25’s Caroline Eaker has details on why this center is so special to the community….

Before it was the Job Corps Center.. The historic piece of land was known as the 33rd Avenue school..
And Saturday Dozons of the job corps current students and 33rd Avenue Alumni rallied together to get signatures for a petition to make sure that the center gets the money it needs for restoration…since it was destroyed by Katrina.

“I attended 33rd from the first grade through the 12th grade because 33rd is here in my heart and they are going to save that front part but let us do what we need to do for our community.”
– Dr. Brenda Matthews

Right now students of the center are attending classes in trailers on the lot. However, things would change quickly if granted the 30 million dollars…

“It will only accommodate 107 students, when the center is rebuilt we will have over 400 students in school here. We will more than double the size of the teaching and administrative staff. It’s a great way to put 30 million dollars right in the heart of the city of Gulfport.”
– John Kelley

The importance of the center and its impact lives on in current and past students.

“If you are someone who doesn’t have anywhere to go they will help you out with that. They help you get a job afterwards you know they help you find a place to live. If you want to go to college and you don’t have anywhere to go they will let you stay here for up to two years and go to college.”
– Trey Powell

“All children do not fit in a class room. Sometimes you don’t know what they are battling at home that they cannot concentrate at the regular public schools. Give them a chance to get an education so that they can be positive forces in the world.”
– Lilly Sutton

In Gulfport Caroline Eaker News 25