More than 1,000 Syracuse high school and college students were recognized with a picnic and music Thursday for spending the past six weeks working for numerous area companies and non-profit organizations.
The Summer Youth Employment Program was the result of a concerted effort between the city, county, and state to provide valuable work experience for students. Mayor Ben Walsh says he made it a priority after his campaign…
"Perhaps the one thing I heard more than anything else, especially from parents, was we need more opportunties for your young people. We have such amazing, talented, and bright young people in our community, and they just need opportunities."
One of them was Terrence Valdez, a rising senior at the Institute of Technology. He admits his mother pushed him to get involved.
"I didn't know anything about Onondaga Earth Corps. I always had a respect for the environment, though, so it fit with my interestes. We went to Lincoln Park, and we cleaned up, did pruning, basically maintaining the park. We went to different parks and educated the children at the recreation centers about the watershed, how to idenfity trees, invasive species."
Meanwhile, Corcoran graduate turned Seton Hall University student Jasmine Lightburn spent her summer at the downtown YMCA.
"I was a teacher's assistant. I worked with the marketing team there because my major is business. I worked with them to create a marketing product at the end to showcase what the program is about and what the kids did. I don't know where else I would have gotten that experience."
Lightburn’s minor is in non-profit studies, so she says the YMCA provided the ideal venue to learn the ins and outs. Other students worked at TCG Player, where CEO Chedy Hampson says they were glad to support the program.
"Working with interns, espeically from the inner city, from the same neighborhood I grew up in, seeing them join the company, and seeing what they can progress to. Allie and Brandon both said they want to come back and work for us. Allie is pursuing a computer engineering degree, so we're hoping she comes back in a technology role. Hopefully Brandon will go into a full time position in the warehouse."
Human Resources Generalist at TCG Player Whitney Ennis you never know who you might connect with.
"One of our interns isn't from New York State and doesn't go to college in New York State. She happened to be here for the summer and got connected with OnPoint for college. She ended up at TCG Player, and says when she graduates, she said, 'I want to move to Syracuse. It's such a welcoming and accessible city, and I've had a great experience.' That is why we do this."
Dozens of other students spent their summer in city and county government, including the police and sheriff’s departments.
