On May 4, 2019, Paul Simon Chicago Job Corps Center Painting Instructor Gary Fields, Jr. and his students worked alongside members of District Council 14 to clean up Old Joliet Prison in Joliet, Illinois. This project was part of DC 14’s Community Day of Action efforts. Students Tasia Barnes, Diamond Mitchell, and Ayanna Tolliver power washed graffiti off the walls in the prison cafeteria and activity room, while students Isaiah Jones, Chanelle Hammond, William Lewis, Da Vaughn Walker and Leonard Clark, Jr teamed with journey workers to paint handrails at the front entrance of the prison at one of the guard’s towers.
DC 14 Business Representative Larry Thomas remarked, “The Day of Action event went very well, especially the collaboration between DC 14 and Job Corps. The students worked well together to get the job done. This was an event to get the Joliet State Prison back up and running so that the prison can be a museum. With the help of the instructor, Gary Fields Jr., everything ran smoothly. We hope to work with Job Corps again for another event.”
