Prince George's County teens with their eyes on summer jobs spent part of their Saturday getting that process underway and applying for the Summer Youth Enrichment Program. See photos.
Melissa Dawson of Bowie, right, and 14-year-old Aaien Thompson, left, attends. Saturday’s event. Aaien says he hopes to land a summer job to make some money. He’s interested in jobs that involve answering phones. He also tells WTOP that he likes to draw.
(WTOP/Liz Anderson)
WTOP/Liz Anderson
Joshua Lewis, right, of Upper Marlboro, heard about this event through his mom, left. He hopes to make money and gain more work experience from a summer job.
(WTOP/Liz Anderson)
WTOP/Liz Anderson
Antony Petty, left, got word about the SYEP application event through his high school and from his dad, right, through a neighborhood website. Petty says he knows a couple of friends who have applied and worked a summer job through SYEP, but it’s his first time applying to this program.
(WTOP/Liz Anderson)
WTOP/Liz Anderson
A steady stream of people showed up at Community of Hope AME Church in Temple Hills, Maryland, to apply to Prince George’s County’s Summer Youth Enrichment Program.
(WTOP/Liz Anderson)
WTOP/Liz Anderson
Teens are getting a head start and applied for summer jobs through the Summer Youth Enrichment Program.
(WTOP/Liz Anderson)
WTOP/Liz Anderson
Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks speaks with teens and their families at an in-person job application for the countywide Summer Youth Enrichment Program.
(WTOP/Liz Anderson)
TEMPLE HILLS, Md. — Teens with their eyes on summer jobs spent part of their Saturday getting that process underway.
A steady stream of people showed up at Community of Hope AME Church in Temple Hills to apply to Prince George’s County’s Summer Youth Enrichment Program, also known as SYEP.
The in-person application event was meant to ensure that all who are interested can complete the application process, especially folks who may not have access to computers at home.
“So we are hoping to register up to 6,000 children this year for our Summer Youth Enrichment Programs,” said Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks.
The age range of eligibility has also been widened.
“Now, it’s 14 to 22 years old to include disconnected youth,” Alsobrooks said.
According to flyers handed out at the event, there will be two pay tiers. Teens 14-17 will earn $9.80 an hour, and those ages 18-22 will earn $11.50 an hour.
Alsobrooks said that with the expanded age range, “Our hope is that they will grow in the program — that they will continue — to have the skills that will be necessary to succeed in the workplace and that they’ll mature with us.”
Saturday’s application event won’t be the last. For those who want to apply in-person, there will be another event on Saturday, Feb. 23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Glenarden’s ministry center on Brightseat Road in Landover.
More information about Prince George’s County’s Summer Youth Enrichment Program can be found on the county’s website.
