News Release - Mayor Thomas S. Richards Welcomes Youth to Summer of Opportunity Program

City of Rochester

News Release

Youth Also Participate in Summer Youth Employment Program

(Monday, July 8, 2013) – Mayor Thomas S. Richards hosted a “Summer Employment Works for Me” kick-off rally at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial today to welcome hundreds of city youth to the City’s Summer of Opportunity (SOOP) and the RochesterWorks! Summer Youth Employment (SYEP) work and career-exploration programs.

“Thanks to the support from so many of our community partners, today truly is the beginning of a Summer of Opportunity for hundreds of city youth,” said Mayor Richards. “These students are not only gaining an opportunity to earn money over the summer, they are learning valuable lessons that will benefit them for the rest of their working lives.”

More than 400 city youth are participating in SOOP, while about 500 youth are participating in SYEP, a program administered by RochesterWorks!

SOOP provides city high school students, ages of 14-20, with a job or a career-exploration opportunity. The City collaborates with RochesterWorks! to conduct joint recruitment and application processing.

SYEP sponsors additional students throughout Monroe County who meet eligibility guidelines – 80 percent of youth sponsored by SYEP are city residents.

Youth who are 14 and 15 years old are placed in “Career Exploration” programs at local non-profit organizations, including Baden Street Settlement; Action for a Better Community; IBERO; and the Boys and Girls Club. The career exploration paths cover such fields as entrepreneurship; landscaping; multi-media production; precision machining and community organizing. These youth receive a $600 stipend for the summer.

High school students ages 16 through 20 are assigned jobs at one of these partner agencies and receive a stipend, while others work with the City or private business and are paid a minimum of $7.25 per hour.

The programs continue through the middle of August.

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News Media: For more information, contact Keenan Allen, Director of the Office of Employment Opportunities at 428-7652.