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County provides 100 jobs for youths
Summer program offers temporary employment

<br>Submitted photo<br>
A work crew focusing on beautification programs takes a break for a photo. Pictured from left to right are Alejandra Hernandez, Christian Campos, Edgar Duarte, William Brown, Christopher Mitchell and Jordan Berry.

<br>Submitted photo<br> A work crew focusing on beautification programs takes a break for a photo. Pictured from left to right are Alejandra Hernandez, Christian Campos, Edgar Duarte, William Brown, Christopher Mitchell and Jordan Berry.

WILLIAMS - Sometimes on the road of life it is necessary to make a wrong turn to find the right path.

That is one of the possibilities for youths taking part in the county's summer work program, according to M. Carol Curtis, director of the Coconino County Career Center.

"Sometimes a student may say 'This is not for me.' Maybe they don't want to work indoors, or don't like what they're doing," Curtis said.

That's alright, it gives the young workers perspective and experience, she said.

Coconino County received $266,000 in federal stimulus money to provide temporary summer jobs to 100 low-income youths. Eleven of the young workers are in Williams, the others in Page, Flagstaff and Fredonia.

The funds come from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, signed into law by President Barack Obama in February.

The federal money comes in the nick of time, too.

In the eight years of the George W. Bush administration 50 percent of federal youth employment funds were diverted to other Bush programs, such as faith-based initiatives, Curtis explained.

"The county had been providing funds," Curtis said.

However, the worsening economy made it impossible for the county to continue to fund summer youth work programs this year, she said.

The summer works program typically runs five or six weeks, with a sliding pay range depending on educational levels, Curtis said.

"We want to encourage the youth to continue their education," she said.

The program is open to teens from junior high to age 24. Junior high participants receive minimum wage, $7.25 an hour; high school students make $7.50 an hour; high school drop-outs earn $7.25; high school graduates make $8.50; and college students make $9.50.

"We went with the higher ages because we were hoping to work with returning military or young people who have lost their jobs," Curtis said.

While the older participants work 32 to 40 hours a week, the 14- and 15-year-olds are allowed only 20 hours a week. For most of those this is their first real work experience, Curtis said.

In addition to the temporary jobs, the program also offers advice on topics such as how to write a resume, proper work attire, proper language in the workplace and how to be successful on the job, Curtis said.

On June 29 Coconino Community College in Flagstaff conducted a workshop, broadcast to locations in Page and Williams. The workshop included topics like on-line job searches and how to interview for a job.

"It's a good thing to do," Curtis said. "All teens need some support for workplace success."

In Williams, some of the youths work at the Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center; and a special team of four students, ages 14 to 16, are working on beautification projects around the city, under the direction of Sandy Amazeen. Similar crews are working on beautification projects in Flagstaff and Page.

The week of June 29 the teens were busy working at the food bank, Amazeen said.

"They redid the floor, painted benches, moved the shelves and restocked the food," Amazeen said. "They did it all in two days."

Her crew also spent time helping to prepare Cureton Field for the Little League championships, Amazeen added.

The kids are working hard - and dreaming even harder.

"They're already counting up how much money they'll have after this," Amazeen said.

The young workers remain in their home communities in the hope of showing them that they are valuable to their communities, Curtis said.

"A lot of time our high school graduates leave the community for the city," she said.

While the program is temporary, there is always the possibility that a young worker will make such an impression on the job that full-time employment could follow, Curtis said.


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