Teens gain skills in summer youth program

RICHMOND -- Area teenagers are gaining on-the-job experience with the 2023 Summer Youth Program through the Jefferson County Board of Developmental Disabilities.

The program wound down on Friday, and a total of 17 youth between the ages of 14-20 have worked at local parks during the past few months.

The first session was held June 6-29 and included nine teens who worked three days a week painting shelter houses, a bridge and signposts, and pressure washing restroom facilities and memorials at the entrance of Friendship Park in Smithfield.

Since July 11, the latest eight-person crew was based at Jefferson State Park in Richmond and spent four days a week clearing brush and trimming along the trails, cleaning and painting dugouts at the baseball field, cleaning shelter houses and signs, and painting fencing near the lake. The young workers were onsite five hours a day, earning minimum wage for their efforts.

JCBDD Community Employment Specialists Renee Pastre Hanlin and Angela Loppe Goodrich said the program has been held for the past decade and has enabled countless teens to learn skills and other responsibilities to prepare for the workforce.

"We have very hard-working students," said Hanlin. "We try to split them up and have them do 30-minute rotations so they are continually learning new skills. The purpose of the program is so students learn entry-level skills and work ethics and they learn to appropriately socialize. They also learn proper techniques and what it's like to work as a team."

She added that the program has yielded youth representing Toronto, Steubenville Big Red, Buckeye Local, Indian Creek and Edison Local schools as well as Jefferson County Christian School, Jefferson County Joint Vocational School and Steubenville Catholic Central High School.

Hanlin and Goodrich agreed that it has spurred excitement and the teens enjoy returning, while several have been part of the program for up to four years.

"They love coming back and are already looking forward to doing it next year," Hanlin continued.

The young workers said they hope to meet goals with the wages they make.

"We work, work, work," said Jo-Jo Huzovic, a student at CCHS. "I want to buy a phone and a house."

"I like painting," added Toronto High School student Amari Wilson. "I want to get a phone and computer."

JVS students Jaxson Handzus and Dakota Crawford respectively hoped to save for a house and new phone with their earnings.

"I get paid and want a new phone," added recent JVS grad Clarissa Whiteman, noting what she liked most about the experience.

Ray Cooper, another JVS student and a first-year program participant, said there was a lot to enjoy about the program.

"(I like) being around friends and getting paid," Cooper commented. "The supervisors are wonderful."For information about the summer youth program, contact Hanlin or Goodrich at (740) 266-3839 or e-mail rpastre@jcbdd.com or aloppe@jcbdd.com.