THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, July 4, 1996 TAG: 9607020149
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 05 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAWSON MILLS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: 68 lines
They played a game in Norview High School's cafeteria recently, but it wasn't any sort of athletic competition.
Rather, it was a job fair sponsored by Community Development of Hampton Roads. The prize the young people were seeking was a chance at securing a good job.
Based on the event's past record, many of them will emerge as winners.
``This is an annual event,'' explained CDHR vice president Robbie Matthews. ``It's always at Norview. It's for kids 16 years old and older.''
This year's fair drew employment specialists from 20 organizations, according to Maj. Calvin Brown of the State Department of Corrections at the Indian Creek Correctional Facility in Chesapeake, who regularly assists with the program.
``We average about 500 kids,'' Brown said. ``And one good thing about this is we place about 80 percent of them.''
Throughout the morning, youngsters filled the bleachers and used every available inch of table space, completing numerous application forms, assisted by job fair staff and employment specialists. Various employer representatives joined Brown at a podium, set up in front of the bleachers, to discuss employment opportunities and offer tips for securing a job, providing invaluable - and useful - advice.
Norfolk City Council member Daun Hester put in an appearance and took a turn at the microphone to offer words of encouragement, using her own success story as an example.
``It's great,'' said Evelyn Etheridge, president of CDHR and the job fair's organizer. ``We've had so many people. They're excited. They want to come back next year. I can't wait for next year. I only had two weeks to pull this together this year.''
Etheridge conceived the job fair several years ago when she became frustrated by encounters with young people unable to find work.
``I got tired of young people coming in who couldn't find a job,'' she said. ``I decided to put this together.''
Etheridge's work with the job fair and other community projects dealing with teen pregnancy, AIDS awareness and drug abuse have earned her national recognition. In September 1995, JCPenney presented her with its Golden Rule Award in Dallas.
``She also received the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Director's Award, several years ago, for her anti-drug work,'' said retired FBI agent Joe O'Brien, who is currently training manager for the Norfolk Police Department.
O'Brien was present to recruit for the Police Cadet Program, which will take high school juniors, work them part-time with the department through high school, summers and college, then send them to recruit school when they become 20 years old, so that when they finish college they can become police officers. The police booth, manned by several students and a policewoman in addition to O'Brien, was popular with young people at the fair.
``Over the years, she has gotten a number of people jobs,'' said O'Brien, an old hand at Etheridge's job fairs. ``The kids actually connect with some employers.''
In addition to the Norfolk Police Department, there were employment specialists present from the Army, Hecht's, Household Recovery Services, HQ, K-Mart, K&W Cafeteria, Kinko's, the Marine Corps, McDonald's, NationsBank, the Navy, Office Depot, OfficeMax, Sentara, the Southeast Virginia Job Training Administration, Sports Authority, Virginia Employment Commission, Wal-Mart and Wendy's.
``All of it was interesting,'' said Malaika Nelson, a graduate of Maury High School who was investigating opportunities in health care. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by DAWSON MILLS
Marine recruiters SSgt. Damon Showers, left, and MSgt. Preston Ford
talk with students at the job fair. by CNB