[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 18 (Wednesday, February 12, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E243]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              TRIBUTE TO THE SOUTH BRONX JOBS CORPS CENTER

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOSE E. SERRANO

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 12, 1997

  Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, recently I had the opportunity to visit the 
South Bronx Jobs Corps Center, which has been successful at helping 
disadvantaged youngsters acquire the educational and professional 
skills they need to succeed in the workplace.
  Established 11 years ago in my South Bronx congressional district, 
the South Bronx Jobs Corps Center is proud of the 500 Bronx youngsters 
it serves annually. The center provides students with guidance and 
training, tailored to their individual needs. At the center, younsters 
have the opportunity to obtain a high school equivalency diploma and to 
learn a variety of trades including, office assistant with knowledge of 
word processing, accounting clerk, nurse assistant, and building 
maintenance technician.
  In addition, the center encourages students to participate in 
community service. Every year students partake in antigraffiti 
campaigns and in beautifying buildings in our community. They also host 
meetings of Community Board No. 5 and the 46th Precinct Council, which 
students are encouraged to attend and participate in.
  The South Bronx Jobs Corps Center fosters a family-oriented 
environment to help youngsters overcome their challenges. It houses 200 
youngsters and provides day care services to students' children ages 3 
months to 3 years. The social component of the center's training 
includes parenting classes for students.
  In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson proposed the establishment of 
the Jobs Corps as an initiative to fight poverty. The South Bronx Jobs 
Corps Center is 1 of 100 centers nationwide and in Puerto Rico, serving 
youngsters ages 16 to 24.
  Supported by President Clinton, the Jobs Corps continues to be an 
effective program to assist at-risk youngsters in completing their 
education, increasing their self-esteem, developing a sense of 
belonging to the community, and preparing for a productive adulthood.
  This May 100 students will graduate from the South Bronx Jobs Corps 
Center. Seventeen of the center's 100 employees are South Bronx Jobs 
Corps graduates. Many others after completing the program have pursued 
a college education and secured part-time or full-time jobs.
  The most famous graduate from one of the centers in the Nation is 
heavyweight champion George Foreman. Mr. Foreman, who also authored a 
cook book, visited the South Bronx Jobs Corps Center recently to talk 
about the importance that the Jobs Corps program has had in his overall 
career.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me recognizing the staff and 
students of the South Bronx Jobs Corps Center for their outstanding 
achievements and in wishing them continued success.

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