Special to the
Opelika Observer
Christian Women’s Job Corps of Lee County held its 23rd pinning ceremony for the fall session on Nov. 16 at the Epworth Center at Auburn United Methodist Church.
Students completed a nine week program of classes from Computer Skills to Budgeting to Career Readiness, as well as a three-day internship.
CWJC is thankful to Arbor Springs, City of Auburn Community Development, City of Auburn Workforce Development and Lee County Extension Center for providing internship opportunities. Three local women honored in the graduation ceremony were Beunkus Collins, Susan Giles and Traci Pritchard. The three participants were mentored by Megan Haskins, Jane Huntley and Sandy Poe.
Mentors worked with their mentees weekly on making “Action Boards” where they established and monitored personal and career goals identifying specific steps or “actions” they would take as they worked toward reaching those goals.
The theme for this session was taken from 2 Timothy 1:7: “For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of discipline.”
During the pinning ceremony, Neeley Caldwell, Director of Lee County’s CWJC, challenged the graduates with words from “Dare to Live Without Limits” by Bryan Golden.
“After a windstorm, only the sturdiest trees remain standing. The harsher the wind, the stronger a tree must be to withstand it… When faced with a challenge, welcome it as a chance to improve. In so doing your mind will be directed to discover solutions rather than making excuses. Develop principles you can be proud of and never compromise them. You will then become one of the mightiest trees in the forest.”
Following participant speeches, pinning and presentation of certificates, all in attendance were invited to a reception honoring the graduates.
Comments from the graduates:
“CWJC has enabled me to strengthen my spiritual, professional, and emotional self.” “I wasn’t happy with my life and I wanted to change. The ‘Living from the Inside Out’ class taught me how to love myself and that I mattered. My family saw the change in me.”
“How grateful and appreciative I am to have been surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses as our volunteers, mentors and instructors! I can now run with endurance the race set before me.”
For more information on being a participant, volunteer or instructor in the spring session of CWJC, email Caldwell at neeley@cwjclc.com or call 334-524-5529 or 334-821-0591.