<p>The Student Government Association (SGA) is the voice of our students and plays a key role in the operation of the center. We encourage all of our students to join the SGA.</p> <p>The SGA Council is composed of Executive Board officers, Vocational Representatives, and Area Student Leaders. The Executive Board members are the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Community Coordinator. Vocational Representatives are student leaders representing each career training program on center. The Area Student Leaders are mentors, recreational aides, residential advisors, safety marshals, and student tour guides.</p> <p>In their weekly meetings, SGA representatives make recommendations to the Center Director about rules affecting students including enforcement of rules. The Center Director also consults with the SGA before introducing new rules for students.</p> <p>SGA members also have the responsibility to:</p> <ul> <li>Be a positive role model to the other students.</li> <li>Assist in the decision-making process with the Center Director and Senior Management Team relating to policies affecting student life on and off campus.</li> <li>Develop leadership skills.</li> <li>Practice self-government and have input on center policies.</li> <li>Learn and practice positive leadership and socialization skills.</li> <li>Assist with tours on center.</li> <li>Work with all departments through the SGA Committees.</li> <li>Host activities for the student body.</li> <li>Work closely with the Business-Community Liaison to bridge the gap between the Job Corps program and the community.</li> </ul> <p>After 30 days of enrollment at our center, you may apply for the Leadership Training Class. After you complete three weeks of leadership training, you can apply for SGA membership.<br> </p>

<p>A good book not only gets you caught up in its story but takes you to places you have never been and introduces you to characters with backgrounds and views that are different from your own. By experiencing these new places, events, and characters, the reader's perspectives expand, their understanding of the world grows, and they become wiser and better people as a result.</p> <p>Reading is an important life skill, but it's also simply fun, even more so if your friends are reading the same book. In this spirit, our Book Club brings students from different backgrounds together to discuss deeper topics and grow their friendships through a similar interest: reading.</p>

<p>At the Boxing Club, students are trained in the basics of boxing starting with stance and movement, proper defensive techniques, and instruction on how to land a full range of scoring punches. An emphasis is put on safety, and specific rules and protective equipment are used to ensure that all members are safe.</p> <p>Students of all skill levels are welcome.</p>

<p>The game of chess develops strategy, anticipation, and awareness skills that can help players in situations far away from the chess board, but the reason we like to play it is simply because it is fun. The Chess Club gives students a chance to play friendly games of chess against their peers in a low-stress environment. All levels are welcome.</p>

<p>Fostering positive relationships with the communities our centers are in is a key part of what Job Corps does. This can mean performing work in the neighborhood that aligns with a student's career pathway, such as building new playgrounds, patching up sidewalks, or cleaning up parks. At the Paul Simon Job Corps Center, it also means assisting the following organizations with their important work:</p> <ul> <li>American Red Cross</li> <li>Chicago Park District</li> <li>Chicago Police Department</li> <li>Gateway to Learning</li> <li>Illinois Department of Employment Security Services</li> <li>Inspiration Café</li> <li>Interfaith House</li> <li>Little Village Chamber of Commerce</li> <li>Misericordia</li> <li>Union League Boys &amp; Girls Club</li> </ul>