MINGO JOB CORPS GRADUATE A CANDIDATE FOR NATIONAL JOB CORPS 'HALL OF FAME'

Career-oriented jobs were scarce in Hayti in 1985.

Daryl Vaughn, enthusiastic, energetic and a recent graduate of Hayti High School that year, settled in as an employee of a fast-food restaurant.

"It was not the type of work I wanted for the rest of my life," said Vaughn, but what was there to do?

Vaughn became aware of the Mingo Job Corps during a conversation with some customers at the fast-foot establishment.

He looked into the program.

That was in 1987.

After graduating from the clerical program at Mingo, Vaughn continued to advance to Job Corps training at Potomac in the Washington area, he joined the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service where he worked until 1994.

Today, Vaughn is back at the Mingo as a staff member of the facility.

And, this year, Vaughn has been nominated for the national 2000 Job Corps Hall of Fame. Last fall, he was recognized by the Department of Labor as the region's "Most Outstanding Graduate" from among thousands of former students.

"I'm pleased to be back in Southeast Missouri," said Vaughn. "Before entering the Job Corps, I was a very quiet student. My confidence level was , not that high, and I certainly couldn't get up in front of a crowd and speak."

All that changed when Vaughn signed at Mingo.

"I wanted to be a top student," he said. "I started thinking that this was a chance for me to become better than I was in high school where I was an average student."

Vaughn excelled at Mingo. He became a student leader, one of the highest honors that can be earned.

He is still excelling.

"He has become invaluable in the outreach efforts of the Mingo Center," said Steve Fowler, employability development specialist at Mingo.

Vaughn has attended numerous job fairs, career days and industry days throughout Southeast Missouri.

"When I arrived at Mingo in 1987, I was determined to learn all that I could, and improve myself," Vaughn said. "This was the beginning of my professional career training and possibly the only way to improve my life." Vaughn recalled his early days at Mingo.

"During my 10 months at Mingo Job Corps I was a Corpsman Leader," he said. "This was one of the highest positions a student can attain while at a Job Corps center.

After completing the clerical program, Vaughn decided to attend advanced training at Potomac. He spent 10 weeks of on-site work experience training and was then employed in May 1989 as a clerk-typist for the Fish and Wildlife Service.

Upon gaining experience in this position, he was promoted to management assistant in the Division of Policy and Directives Management in 1991.

"Now that I was gainfully employed and had proven to myself that I could be successful, I decided to go back to Mingo Job Corps Center to work as a social services assistant." he said. "Here I help people like myself make a success out of their life. Working at Mingo Job Corps has given me the chance to give back some of the education and training I received when I was a student of Job Corps. I enjoy my work here."