SkillSource students send holiday wishes to military members

MOSES LAKE - SkillSource Learning Center students practice their arts and crafts creativity designing holiday cards with warm messages of appreciation and best wishes to our military servicemen and women stationed overseas.

Elizabeth Peralez, Washington Service Corps (WSC) member, came up with the idea after talking with her fiancé who is currently deployed in the Middle East. "Many of these soldiers are on their first deployment and are spending the holidays away from home for the first time" she said. "These cards and letters are a great opportunity for students to learn what is happening around the world and the sacrifices made for them."

Her current engagement as Service Corps member is at the SkillSource Learning Center. The Washington Service Corps was created in 1983 by the Washington State Legislature and currently has about 651 AmeriCorps and VISTA (Volunteers In Service to America) members in their statewide programs. The WSC members enter into creative partnerships with local government, non-profit, and community-based organizations to address unmet community needs in education, economic opportunity, environmental stewardship and more. Perales, a recent graduate of Eastern Washington University with a bachelor of science degree in public health, is currently working alongside staff at SkillSource, assisting students attending the Learning Center under the statewide Open Doors Youth Reengagement Program.

SkillSource, a community based organization, and Moses Lake School District have a 15-year partnership addressing the academic needs of students who have not completed their education. The Moses Lake School District currently contracts with SkillSource to implement and deliver the Open Doors (1418) Youth Reengagement Program. SkillSource Learning Center offers students between the ages of 16 and 21, who are not attending high school, academic skills instruction (individualized basic skills remediation), high school equivalency certificate (GED) preparation coursework, college readiness and work readiness coursework. Students may qualify to earn high school credits that may lead to a diploma. The holiday troop support effort spearheaded by Peralez is one of several activities that have the youth engaged in various ways with the community.