Almost 3,000 students in Newark are participating in various work programs as part of the city’s summer youth employment program. The program offers students ages 14 to 24 access to several apprenticeships.
At Barringer High School, one program focuses on carpentry training while contributing to the city’s mission to keep kids safe and out of trouble. “The events, locations, and memories I have already experienced at Barringer High School will always stick with me along with the bonds that have been forged from sweat and hard work,” Micah Charles, a summer youth employment participant, said.
“There’s a long-term kind of development that exists now that didn’t exist then,” Mayor Ras Baraka said. “All these things that are important and engaging kids and experiencing careers and trying to figure out what they want to do in life before they make decisions that can’t be reversed.”
Chasing the Dream: Poverty and Opportunity in America is a multiplatform public media initiative that provides a deeper understanding of the impact of poverty on American society. Major funding for this initiative is provided by the JPB Foundation. Additional funding is provided by Ford Foundation.
