Montgomery Co.’s summer pitch to teens: fun and jobs

The kids might not be out of school yet, but Montgomery County’s Department of Recreation has already made a splash, making sure that its outdoor pools were open in time for Memorial Day.

Gabe Albornoz, the director for the department, told WTOP that opening up the pools is just the start of what the county can offer this summer.

He knows that in the current economy, many teenagers are looking for extra income.

“We know that we need to do more, and youth employment is an area that we are particularly interested in investing more in,” Albornoz said.

“Many of our summer camp positions are filled at this point, but we still do have some positions available in aquatics,” he said. “We’re always looking for lifeguards,” and while that requires certification, Albornoz said, those jobs pay well and, “We can help with the certification process.”

As the summer season gets underway, Albornoz said there’s also been a focus on providing programming for teenagers in an attempt to avoid massive gatherings or so-called “teen takeovers.”

“We do want to flood the zone with as many programs as possible,” he said, “particularly in areas where youth have a harder time accessing transportation.”

Albornoz also said older teenagers often want less structured activities.

“More often than not, they’re just looking for a safe place to hang out with a caring adult helping to oversee and making sure that everything’s fine,” he said. “We do have extended hours of drop-in use at our recreation centers to meet that need.”

There are 23 rec centers across the county, which also offer a variety of structured activities from sports to arts and more.

The key to making those a success, said Albornoz, is asking teens for their input.

“Teenagers who work on our staff through our Teen Works programs provide real-time input on what’s cool, what’s not cool, what’s going to work,” he said.

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