Clements receives WIA award

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

— Timothy Clements, senior at Decatur High School, was awarded the Diana Tucker Youth Award for 2013. He was honored with a trophy and a $250 monetary award.

The award is given to a participant in the Workforce Investment Act Youth Program who has shown outstanding growth and improvement through leadership, development, overcoming barriers, educational achievement and the ability to earn a paycheck.

Tucker was an advocate for youth and was passionate about giving youth in Benton, Washington and Madison Counties a hand up by giving them the tools they needed to overcome barriers, get an entry-level job and keep that job.

Tucker supervised the JTPA Summer Youth Programs which employ hundreds of area youth every summer for many years.

In 1998, JTPA ended and Workforce Investment Act was born. Tucker never skipped a beat and continued to work with youth in the tri-county area. Students from the nine countyNorthwest Arkansas Economic Development District compete for the award created to honor Tucker.

Clements has participated in the Workforce Investment Act Youth Program for three years. He began the program working for the city of Decatur, clearing brush, picking up trash, weed eating and helping the city workers keep the parks, cemeteries and right-of-ways free of debris.

He worked two summers for the city of Decatur. During the school year, Clements worked atthe Iva Jane Peek Library for a year. He worked for Spavinaw Stove in Gentry for two summers and one school year.

Through Job Clubs, Clements has learned how to get and keep a job. He has also worked on his leadership skills and communication skills.

Last summer, he and two of his fellow participants from Benton County were named Peer Leaders for the Benton County Summer Job Club. They were responsible for activities, leadership and keeping the meeting on track.

Sports, Pages 13 on 11/27/2013