Power Up! Celebrates Another Success
A celebration was held in honor of the six participants who successfully completed all requirements of the Power Up! program. Bobby White, Dominic Felix, Gwen Benoit, Rodrick Benoit, Sharon Young and Tania Dyke commemorated their achievements and success with those who have journeyed with them on their career development pathway. Joining the celebration were family and friends, program sponsors, Community Youth Network and Community Education Network, workplace employers, and the funding agency, Advanced Education and Skills.
Corinne Tulk, Program Coordinator, spoke about Power Up! and its objectives as a career development program that offers, adults 25 years and upward who wish to enter or re-enter the work force, an avenue through which they can build upon and increase their employability skills. She praised each of the six participants on their inner courage and strength to overcome personal struggles and challenges that accompany the completion of a four week pre-employment training, 20 hours of community service, and 12 bi-weekly developmental workshops during their 930 hour work placement.
Tribute awards were presented to contributing employers, Flat Bay Indian Band, Ben’s Pharmacy, Dream Catcher Lodge, Western College, Pizza Delight and Coleman’s Food Center, for their valuable role in participants’ skill development at their work sites.
During the completion ceremony held at Stephenville Lion’s Club, Wednesday, January 30, 2013, Bobby White, spokesperson for the six program participants, performed a heartfelt musical tribute of a song that he wrote about his experience in the Power Up! program. He sang of making right choices and the struggles of walking our own paths in life; of the friendship that endures from being together and that no matter how hard things seem to be, the support and encouragement to never give up was always there.
“Today we stand together looking back on we’ve done. Standing here so proudly, happy with what we’ve become. Off we go our separate ways, but always it seems being there for each other is the way it’ll always be…”
(To hear Mr. White’s song in its entirety go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nH0KYOd2dIA)
