Student from Flint/Genesee Job Corps in Michigan takes top honors in oratory competition

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today hosted the 2010 Job Corps Oratory Competition in Washington, D.C. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis delivered opening remarks before four finalists from California, Illinois, Michigan and Kentucky took the stage to present their speeches about how Job Corps has impacted their lives.

The four finalists were Milton Calvin from the Joliet Job Corps Center in Illinois, Maela Way from the Los Angeles Job Corps Center in California; Danielle Baldwin from Flint/Genesee Job Corps Center in Michigan and Bradley Esco from the Whitney M. Young Jr. Job Corps Center in Kentucky. Danielle Baldwin of the Flint/Genesee Job Corps in Michigan finished first in the competition and received a $1,500 award toward education and training. Bradley Esco of the Whitney M. Young Jr. Job Corps in Simpsonville, Ky., won second place and a $1,000 award. Maela Way from the Los Angeles Job Corps, Calif., and Milton Calvin from the Joliet Job Corps in Illinois each received a $750 award.

"Job Corps is about turning tremendous potential into tremendous success," said Secretary Solis. "These young people are living proof of the high caliber of both character and intellect fostered by Job Corp programs across the nation. I am very proud of the accomplishments of these youngsters and I look forward to their continued success.

The finalists were selected from across the nation after an opening round of video submissions were collected and judged by the department's Employment and Training Administration's Job Corps, Job Corps contractors and congressional staff. The speeches were evaluated based on delivery, content, structure and impact. Finalists were then invited to Washington to present their speeches in the finals before a distinguished panel of judges from the Departments of Labor and Agriculture.

Job Corps, a part of the Labor Department's Employment and Training Administration, is the nation's largest career technical training and education program for students ages 16 through 24. It provides training and support services to more than 100,000 young people each year at 124 centers in 48 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. For more information about Job Corps, call 800-733-JOBS (5627) or visit http://www.jobcorps.gov.