The Cassadaga Job Corps is one of 99 Job Corps centers around the country that is facing the threat of permanent closure as a part of President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill. A press conference scheduled for Monday afternoon in Stockton is looking to fight back against this. P-J file photo

CASSADAGA — Following the Trump administration’s announcement that they are looking to close all Job Corps center operations nationwide, which would include in Cassadaga, the staff at Cassadaga Job Corps Center are calling on federal leaders to stand up for their communities and constituents and stop the closing.

On Monday, June 9, at 4:30 p.m. at the Stockton Volunteer Fire Department fire hall, 28 Stockton-Kimball Stand Road, the newly organized Cassadaga Guardians of the Hill union will hold a press conference to call on federal leaders to step up, share student stories, and highlight the devastating impact that closing the Job Corps center would have.

While the announcement of the pause of all Job Corps centers came at the end of May, on Wednesday a judge temporarily stopped the Trump administration from moving forward with the effort to permanently eliminate Job Corps. According to Reuters, on Wednesday U.S. District Judge Andrew Carter in Manhattan issued a temporary restraining order in a lawsuit filed by a trade group representing contractors that operate Job Corps centers, which would include the site in Cassadaga. Carter ordered the government not to terminate Job Corps contractors or stop work at Job Corps centers until a further ruling in the case, and he ordered the Labor Department to appear at a court hearing on June 17.

The lawsuit alleges that the U.S. Department of Labor is violating federal law and its own regulations by abruptly shuttering the program, a plan the agency announced at the end of May. Job Corps was created by Congress in 1964 and allows 16-to-24-year-olds from disadvantaged backgrounds to obtain high school diplomas or an equivalent, vocational certificates and licenses and on-the-job training. The federal government says the program currently serves about 25,000 people at 120 Job Corps centers, 99 of which are run by contractors.

Trisha Lockwood, a reading instructor at Cassadaga Job Corps and the union secretary for the Guardians of the Hill, said Monday’s press conference is looking to bring awareness to positive things Job Corps provides to not only young adults but the local community as well through things like volunteering, work based learning and apprenticeships.

“We also want to send a clear message to elected officials — especially Congressman Nick Langworthy — that the time to act is now,” Lockwood said. “Our centers and our students are at risk. We need leadership, not silence.”

Aaron Geis, a professor at St Bonaventure who is currently exploring the idea of becoming a candidate for Congress for the 23rd District, said that the Trump administration’s attempt to shut down Cassadaga and all other Job Corps is wrong and something people should not stand for.

“I’m a college professor and I can tell you that the whole educational system is under attack right now,” Geis said. “They tried to defund Head Start, which threatens preschool. They’re trying to shut down the Department of Education, which threatens K-12 schools. They want to reduce the size of Pell grants, claw back research dollars and keep international students from coming here, which hurts our four year colleges and universities. Rep. Langworthy says he wants to support trade schools and community colleges instead, but now they’re trying to shut down the Job Corps.”

Geis added that the administration has lied to the people about wanting to bring back opportunity, and instead the only idea that they have is to cut services and give tax cuts to the rich. He said this is not something that will help everyday Americans.

“I’m exploring running for Congress against Nick Langworthy because I believe our district, NY 23, pays hands down on state and federal investment,” Geis said. “We expect the tax dollars we send in to come back to our communities in the form of education, healthcare and economic development, and we don’t like seeing them wasted on billionaires who buy access to the President. We also don’t like this chaos, where programs can be shut down at a moment’s notice with no appeal. The kids in Cassadaga Job Corps are worth investing in. All our kids are worth investing in.”

Lockwood added that the Cassadaga Job Corps is about more than just teaching young adults a trade, but rather about restoring hope and rewriting futures. Students at the Job Corps may come there after struggling in a traditional school setting, including some that have dropped out or been written off, and at Job Corps they find something different, a supportive environment that values their potential and meets them where they are. They do not just earn job skills, she said, they earn second chances.

“I’ve seen students hold up their GEDs with pride — achievements they once thought were out of reach,” Lockwood said. “I’ve seen them go beyond the basics: enrolling at Jamestown Community College, pursuing advanced training at other Job Corps centers, and setting goals they never imagined before. These are young people who have faced enormous obstacles — poverty, violence, unstable homes, addiction. But when they’re given opportunity, structure, and belief, they thrive.”

This is the main reason why saving Cassadaga Job Corps matters to her, Lockwood said, saying that every time a former student calls years later to say that they broke the cycle and that they made it, it is a reminder that this work can and does change lives, which then ripples out into stronger families, stronger communities, and a stronger future for all.

“This isn’t just about one program — it’s about protecting opportunity, investing in our youth, and standing up for a community resource that works,” Lockwood said. “Cassadaga Job Corps gives hundreds of young adults a second chance every year — students who go on to become skilled workers, college students, taxpayers, and community leaders. The press conference is a chance to hear their stories, see the impact up close, and join others in demanding action before it’s too late. If we let this center close, we’re turning our backs on the future workforce of Chautauqua County — and sending the wrong message about who and what we value. If you care about education, jobs, equity, or your community’s future — you should be there.”

The press conference will include powerful, firsthand stories from former Job Corps graduates, dedicated staff, the Center Director and local union leaders about the impact that Job Corps has in Cassadaga, Lockwood said. People should expect to hear how the program transforms lives, prepares young people for meaningful careers, and supports the local workforce.

“They’ll also hear hard truths about what’s at stake — how shutting down this center would deeply affect not only the students, but the entire community and Chautauqua County,” Lockwood said. “This is more than a meeting — it’s a call to action. People should come ready to listen, to learn, and to stand up for a program that changes lives every single day.”