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For Immediate Release
June 4, 2025
Contact:
Markus Gottschlich
Executive Director, Warehouse Arts District Association (WADA)
Email: markus@wadastpete.org
Phone: 727-289-1420
WADA to Host Event in Support of Pinellas Job Corps Following Sudden Closure Announcement
Event to Feature Student Voices, Community Leaders, and Musical Performances by Job Corps Students
St. Petersburg, FL – The Warehouse Arts District Association (WADA) will host a community event on Tuesday, June 10 at 6:00 PM at the ArtsXchange Stage in support of the students, faculty, and staff impacted by the abrupt closure of the Pinellas Job Corps Center.
The event will bring together students, community partners, and local elected officials to raise awareness, share stories, and call for immediate action to reinstate and protect the critical services Job Corps provides to our region’s youth. The evening will also feature musical performances by students of the Pinellas Job Corps arts program, showcasing the importance of creative expression in helping young people grow into resilient, well-rounded adults.
“This is first and foremost about the students, whose educational journeys were halted without warning,” said Markus Gottschlich, Executive Director of WADA. “But the impact extends far beyond their campus. Job Corps has been an engaged and valued neighbor in the Warehouse Arts District—consistently showing up for our community, participating in public events, and encouraging their students to explore the arts and culture that thrive here. Their presence has enriched our district, and it’s a real loss to see not only students disrupted, but also the dedicated faculty and staff—many of whom contribute meaningfully to our city—facing the possibility of leaving the area altogether.”
The Pinellas Job Corps Center is one of 119 facilities nationwide that received a directive to close due to the federal budget impasse—leaving students in St. Petersburg without access to housing, education, or career training. As a cultural neighbor and community partner, WADA is standing alongside the students, staff, and community members whose lives and futures are being disrupted by this decision.
WHAT: Community Event in Support of Pinellas Job Corps
WHEN: Tuesday, June 10, 2025 | 6:00 PM
WHERE: ArtsXchange Stage, 515 22nd Street South, St. Petersburg, FL 33712
WHO: Open to the public; speakers include students, community leaders, and elected officials; live performances by Job Corps students
DETAILS & RSVP: https://warehouseartsdistrict.wildapricot.org/event-6215047
More Information: www.wadastpete.org
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