IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JOBS FOR CINCINNATI GRADUATES 25th ANNUAL CAREER DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE - YOUTH COMPETITION WINNERS

“Celebrating 25 Years of Opening Doors and Building Futures”

JOBS FOR CINCINNATI GRADUATES held its 25th Annual Career Development Conference (CDC) and Job/Career Fair at Sharonville Convention Center on Wednesday, April 25, 2007.  Over four hundred Juniors and Seniors from nine area high schools participated.  Student, first, second and third place winners in ten competition areas were announced, and awarded trophies.  Also, the 2006-07 Doris Rankin-Sells Spirit Award was announced.  The major sponsors of the event were Scripps Howard Foundation, Staples Foundation for Learning, Daniel and Susan Pfau Foundation, The Louise Taft Semple Foundation, Jack J. Smith Trust, Jr. Charitable Trust, PNC Bank, N.A. and James S. Wachs, Co-Trustees, and Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.

The Spirit Award was presented by Susan R. Robinson, JCG Board Chair, Operating Vice President, Investor Relations, Federated department Stores, Inc. and Toi C. Jones, Jobs for Cincinnati Graduates Board Member, Associate Director, Pulp & Pulp Derivatives Purchase, The Procter & Gamble Company to Keira Jones and Nefercia Cook, who have overcome significant challenges, and exemplify the professional training that is the hallmark of JCG.

The 1^st place winners in the ten competitions were:

Team Challenge –Winton Woods High School - Lionel Jarvis, Jessica Rice, Chiamaka Okwumo, and Lidya Tsegay

Team Visual Display – Aiken College & Career High School – Brian Walker, Terry Duncan, and Reco Watkins

Public Speaking –Woodward Career Technical High School – Ciera Allen

Cover Design –Woodward Career Technical High School– Ashley Franklin

Students for Service –Princeton High School- Latmara Powers and Kimberly Nelms

Application Completion –Norwood High School- Sara Meinking

Employment Testing – Purcell Marian High School – Shana Harris

Interviewing –Norwood High School- Dustin Bramkamp

Decision Making –Woodward Career Technical High School – Charmaine Wilkerson

Telephone Techniques – Princeton High School– Kiara Maxberry  

JCG is a non-profit agency operating in the Cincinnati area since 1982.  The JCG mission is to assist high school students and dropouts with significant challenges, to help them graduate, and to successfully make a planned transition from school to career. To achieve this mission, JCG implements the comprehensive Jobs for America’s Graduates model and curriculum which includes: 

•  Integrating academic skills with job attainment, job retainment, and job advancement skills,
•  Guiding the development of an individualized, achievable career plan,
• Tutoring, mentoring and assisting with proficiency preparation,
• Connecting with social services to meet individual needs,
•  Providing follow-up services to help overcome hurdles during the year after graduation and
• Measuring results.

For more information, contact Barbara Seibel, Executive Director, Jobs for Cincinnati Graduates, 513-631-4400. Photos of the event are available upon request.