Charleston Job Corps Students Attend Fatherhood Conference

Charleston Job Corps Center students attended a first-ever KISRA Fatherhood Conference on the campus of West Virginia State University, last month.  The event was presented by the Fatherhood Program of the Kanawha Institute for Social Research & Action. 

The KISRA Fatherhood Program is funded by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.  KISRA is the only Promoting Responsible Fatherhood grantee in the state of West Virginia.  Charleston Job Corps students were invited to attend in order to educate them to some of the obstacles that young men face.   

Conference speaker James Ellis found the Philadelphia Recreational Department Swim Team in 1971.  Today, it is a nationally-recognized competitive swim team and has become a model for urban swimming programs in the country.

The movie, Pride, tells the story of how Ellis built the successful swim program in one of Philadelphia’s most impoverished neighborhoods.  In the movie, Ellis assembles a group of troubled inner city youth, transforms them into a dedicated team and teaches them how to overcome adversity through hard work and determination. 

Job Corps students who attended the conference also had the opportunity to enjoy breakfast with, and heard comments from, retired NBA standout Dominique Wilkins.  

(Posted 9/20/07)

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