summer jobs

Lavenia Stewart  |   OW Contributor
Apr 18 2013

There are resources to help overcome barriers to youth employment

Who wouldn’t want to spend the summer months sleeping until noon, and the rest of the day scouring the malls for the latest Hip Hop fashion or hanging out at the park shooting hoops?

Cynthia E. Griffin-  |   OW Managing Editor
Apr 18 2013

Event set to raise program funds

Ten years ago, the Rev. Dr. Henry L. Masters, former pastor at Holman United Methodist Church, involved a troubled teenager being mentored in a prayer breakfast program.

Unfortunately, the young man stole all the money collected and disappeared. That incident fueled the creation of a new program at Holman designed to give youth alternatives to taking the wrong path in life.

Called Jobs For Kids, the summer youth employment program was launched in 2003, and grew out of the church’s then 1-year-old community development corporation (CDC).

Cynthia E. Griffin-  |   OW Managing Editor
Mar 29 2012

Working could take a new twist

“You love the outdoors. You love hiking and biking and sailing. And your friends say you’re great with kids.

“If you relate to any part of this, then there’s the perfect place waiting for you: summer camp.”
That’s the way the American Camp Association (ACA) answers the question why work at camp on their website.

Jun 28 2011

Clerical, maintenance, grounds keeping, child care

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a $3.5 million program today meant to create at least 2,200 summer jobs for youths.

The program was recommended by Supervisors Don Knabe and Zev Yaroslavsky to address the 26.9 percent unemployment rate for young people in Los Angeles County.

Cynthia E. Griffin-  |   OW Managing Editor
Apr 28 2011

Prospecting for summer money

With research assistance from Kristen Peters, OW High School Intern

As a teenager, Francisco Perez used the proceeds from his job with the Summer Youth Employment program to purchase his first car. Today, he is one of those in charge of running the program through the Los Angeles County Department of Community and Senior Services.

But, he still remembers the pride and sense of self-satisfaction gained from that work experience.

Across Black America

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.

California
San Diego college students and volunteers will carry out their sixth home restoration project on Wednesday, July 10 through Sunday, July 14. as part of the “Healing our Heroes’ Homes” (H3) program created by the nonprofit Embrace. The five-day effort will take place at the home of medically retired Marine Corps Capt. Sarah Bettencourt. Bettencourt served with many different units across the country during the Global War on Terrorism and developed a rare neurological disorder in 2008. With a focus to restore the homes of disabled veteran homeowners, H3 falls in line with Embrace’s mission to mobilize college-student volunteers and community members to serve less fortunate members of civilian and veteran communities. The project for the Bettencourts’ home includes kitchen and bathroom remodeling, building ADA-compliant disability ramps, widening their driveway to ADA standards, widening doorways and landscaping.
 
District of Columbia
The 2013 Smithsonian Folklife Festival will showcase its five-year community research project on African American identity with the program “The Will to Adorn: African American Diversity, Style, and Identity.” This multicity collaboration examines the history and culture of the aesthetics of African Americans. The festival will be held June 26-30 and July 3-7, outdoors on the National Mall between Seventh and 14th streets. “Whether we realize it or not, we are all dress artists. The way we compose our look is a creative expression of our ideas about who we are and who we aspire to be,” said Diana N’Diaye, program curator. “This program explores the diversity of African American traditions of style, but also teaches young people the importance of documenting their own culture and saving that information for themselves and future generations.”