Student Newspaper: Cascades Insight
June 2007

Cascades Insight is published monthly by
Cascades Job Corps Center, Sedro-Woolley, Washington.
Managing Editor: Bob Cockburn
Typographer and Web Design: Kate Weisel

Cascades Insight is a monthly publication of Cascades Job Corps Center in Sedro-Woolley. All items for publication must be turned in to the Newspaper Mailbox in the Staff Lounge in the administration building by the 10th of every month. Letters to the Editor must be legible, double spaced, and signed by the writer with complete address and phone number. No letter will be published that is of a personal, libelous, or malicious nature. The writer's name may be deleted by request of writer and acceptance of the editor.

Please scroll down this page to read stories from this issue.

Center Director's Message

We have beautiful Center. We were visited last Thursday by Mr. Scott Marquardt, President and CEO, and Mr. John Pedersen, Senior Vice President of Job Corps, for the Management and Training Corporation (MTC). MTC has operated the Cascades Center for more than twenty years. It was a pleasure to have them visit on a wonderful sunny and warm day.

They were very impressed with our location and the beauty of our landscaped grounds. They visited most of the training areas, dorms, recreational facilities and the cafeteria. They spoke with many students and staff as they toured the center. Our students and staff were on task and were very friendly and positive. Again, they were very impressed.

They thanked the staff and management team for being the fifth-rated Job Corps Center in the nation. They were very appreciative of our students’ accomplishments and the sustained efforts of our outstanding dedicated staff. I want to also thank our students and our staff for making this Center one of the nation’s premier training facilities.

MTC and JC Officials Visit Cascades

Mr. Scott Marquardt (2nd from left), President and CEO, and Mr. John Pedersen, (left) Senior Vice President of Job Corps, for the Management and Training Corporation (MTC), recently visited Cascades Job Corps Center. Here they are shown dropping in on an Academics class.

Cascades Volunteers Helped State Park Campground Students helped set new space identity posts for the campground at South Whidbey Island State Park after removing old ones.

GED Achievers

• Stephanie Eisner, 4/18/2007
• Shayna Peters, 4/18/2007
• Dominick Fengel**, 4/19/2007
• Rodolfo Escojido*, 4/19/2007
• Brian Turner, 4/20/2007
• Keoni Wray, 4/20/2007
• Chad Merrill**, 4/20/2007
• Scott Lorentzen, 4/26/2007
• Raelynn Couture*, 4/26/2007
• Heather Chaney*, 5/1/2007
• Trisha Barnett***, 5/1/2007
• Flosier Lucas**, 5/9/2007
• Eleanor Wilson*, 5/9/2007
• Cody Roberts**, 5/9/2007
• Victoria Hallett**, 5/9/2007
• Max Keltto***, 5/9/2007
• Katriece Griffin*, 5/9/2007
• Jonathan Schutza, 5/11/2007
• Lillian George, 5/11/2007
• Yadira Torres, 5/11/2007
• Morgan Chasson***, 5/14/2007

* Honors (2,500+); ** High Honors (2,700+); *** High Honors With Distinction (3,000+)

Cascades Job Corps Center, Graduation Day, May 18, 2007

• Kerry Bernhardt, Medical Assistant
• Michael Boone (2), Carpentry
• Joseph Busch (2), Cement Masonry
• Jennifer Caswell (3), Medical Assistant
• Christopher Edwards (2), Cement Masonry
• Mohamud Elmi (1), Nursing Assistant
• Emily Esterwood, Nursing Assistant
• Matthew Gallaugher, Business Technologies
• Christina George (2), Culinary Arts
• Barbara Johnson (2), Culinary Arts
• Rachel Johnson, Culinary Arts
• Jessica Jones (2,3), Medical Office Specialist
• Corey Kalles (1), Electrical
• Marino Merlus (1), Cement Masonry
• Amanda Miller (2), Culinary Arts
• Danica Parrott (2,3,*), Medical Office Specialist
• Trisha Payne (2), Medical Assistant
• Tyler Peckham (2), Facilities Maintenance
• David Rich (2), Facilities Maintenance
• Ryan Smith (2), Carpentry
• Albert Wessels (1,2), Nursing Assistant

(1) Obtained High School Diploma
(2) Obtained General Education Diploma (GED)
(3) National Technical Honor Society
* Full Time Employment

A Student Graduation Speech

Before I came to Job Corps I had done the typical things most teenagers do. I smoked pot, drank, did some uppers, and, well, had no respect for my parents. Two weeks before I came to Job Corps I weighed 115 lbs., basically skin and bones. Oblivious to this I was also oblivious to the pain I caused my family. I was depressed and didn’t even know it.

I came not knowing what I was getting myself into. After a while I realized I had a problem with all the things I did back home and was still doing. I was moody, disrespectful, etc. I knew I had to change soon, I knew I had to get over my problems, and even though it was a difficult, I eventually did.

My family is most of what has kept me going and when I couldn’t talk to them, my fiance Chris Murray was who kept me striving.

I’d like to thank my mom, for her sometimes opposing opinions, yet very helpful ones. Also if it weren’t for her, my love for cooking would have never existed. I’d like to thank my dad for his goofiness and seriousness that helped me laugh a little more since I’ve been here. I’d like to thank my sister Liz Miller for forcing me to stay here, even if it meant the world ending, I was going to finish according to her. Hey Liz, I did it!

Finally, thanks to Chris for showing me and teaching me what real courage meant. A quote from his poetry, "Courage is the conviction to explore new horizons, it’s being happy and grateful and bold enough to move forward when we know it’s easier to feel sorry for ourselves, and just bitch and complain."

I know some of you don’t like me and that’s OK. We choose who we will or will not get along with. I came from a pretty diverse community. Everyone got along with everyone. No matter their ethnicity, religion, or background. I moved to Snohomish after 13 years in Everett, everything disappeared.

I came to Job Corps, it all turned around. I realized going to different places, we’re not going to find the same things. We have to learn to adapt to change. Job Corps taught me that. So everyone who this relates to, I’m sorry. I’m not saying this to have you think less of me. I’m saying it because there is magic in sincere forgiveness, the magic to heal, it is in the forgiveness you grant and more so in the forgiveness you receive.

We are no different, we all bleed the same. All of us no matter how tough we make ourselves out to be, we all have emotion. We all know what pain is, and if we can all just look outside the box and see what hurtful things really do to others, we’d see a lot differently. We don’t need to separate because of simple small differences.

Accept the fact that no one will change unless they do it themselves. Forgive and forget, if you can’t forgive, then don’t waste your time making it worse. I want to thank the staff in Challenger dorm for making my stay here a lot more enjoyable. Thank you Marshall for putting up with my weirdness and the "just ’cause I’m tired and bored for nothing" talks. Les for always having that extra quarter for the vending machine when we had our late night craving for chips and calling me Mrs. Murray even before Chris purposed. Stephanie for always reminding me of the #1 rule in the dorm was "no whining," even if I wasn’t. Elke, for forgiving me when I accidentally swore at her in German. I still feel horrible. It was sincerely an accident, that saying had been going around, Tully started it! Momma Jay for looking at me like she was going to chase me into my room if I didn’t go in there at exactly 10:30. And Dave from Whitewater for putting up with just about everything I did. I have never met a man with so much patience when it comes to me.

Sharon up at Safety, thanks for always being there when I needed your help. My trade boss Mike, you’ve taught me so much. You brought out the best in me and when I use salt I will always think of you.

Graduation Speech

First off, for any of you who don’t know me my name is Danica. I came to Job Corps on April 11, 2006, for "every wrong reason".

I only came here for my little sister to have someone here to help her get through it, but she ended up getting here four months after me and left three months later. I hated it here and even more when my sister left. But thank you Mom, Laticia, and Tayla for pushing me to stay and finish.

After awhile Job Corps started to grow on me, and I realized with a lot of help that even if I wasn’t here for myself, I was already half way done with everything and I might as well finish and make everything I had already done here worth it, and maybe even make it about myself and not my sister.

I got really involved in E-Block and finishing trade. Along the way I made some really great friends, and met some really awesome people. Seth, Loula, Mikey, Jessy, Joel, Brittany, and Junior -- thanks for always being there when I needed you even if you had other things you needed to do.

Dave, Rhonda, and Robyn thanks for the great advice and for all the times you were there to just listen when I needed someone to talk to. I guess the best piece of advice I can give any of you about this place is to make every second here worth it. I know and I can tell you first hand at times it sucks and you can think of thousands of things that you would rather be doing. But think of it this way it’s six months to a year of your life. That’s nothing compared to the years you’ve already lived.

To all of you out there who are still trying to finish -- GOOD LUCK. And to the ones who have already finished and are walking today CONGRATULATIONS! We Did It!

Graduation Speech

When I started writing my graduation speech it became difficult for me, because I knew what I wanted to say, but I did not know exactly how to put everything down on paper. Someone one told me that if I just write from the heart then it does not really matter how it looks on paper.

As I look around at all my classmates, I start to think about all the memories that I share with each and every one of them, good and bad. I came to Cascades job Corps on March 29, 2005. I was sitting in CP one day with all my input brothers and sisters when I was asked that famous question that we have all heard from time to time, "Why are you here, and what do you plan on doing with your life?".

I replied, "I am here because I want to change my life; you see I am a drug addict. I have lived on the streets going from house to house. I watched my friends go in and out of jail. I was lucky that I never went to jail. I did not have a career, and I do not like the person I am becoming. I want to be somebody that my parents are proud to say, 'that is my daughter,' instead of 'what did she do this time.'"

"I want to be somebody that will be a good role model and positive influence for my younger siblings, nephews and nieces, so that when they say, "I want to be just like you," I can be proud. I am sorry for all the pain I caused you." As I come back to the now, I wipe my eyes and think about everything that I have accomplished in the three years that I have been in the Job Corps program. I have completed Culinary Arts, Medical Office Specialist, and Medical Assisting. I have received my CMAA and my CMA certificates. I have received my GED and High School diploma. I was accepted into the Advanced Career Training program, and have completed two quarters of college. I even made it into the National Technical Honor Society.

As many of you already know, I also started going to Harvey’s group and am proud to say that I have been clean for a year and six months. I would like to thank my TEAP and church families, because I would have never made it this far without your love and encouragement.

I would like to say thanks to my Whitewater family, especially third floor for all the memories and late night heart-to-heart talks we shared. You girls are my sisters for life!

I would like to thank Harvey, Jenn Ecker, and Jenn Logan, cause you guys were always there, even when I didn’t want you to be. To my dorm staff, thanks for all your help, understanding, knowledge, and encouragement. I would also like to say thanks to Acy, because you’re my rock and my strength. You believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. You have always encouraged me to follow my dreams and hear I am. I love you with all my heart.

To the graduates, good luck in everything you do and may all your dreams come true. God bless.