This summer, over 250 New Rochelle young people ages 14-24 took part in the New Rochelle Youth Bureau’s Summer Employment Program, working in recreation, office, maintenance, data entry, food and personal care fields. Four specialized “Learn and Earn” programs gave participants a firsthand look at potential vocations.
New Rochelle Youth Bureau Executive Director Kelly Johnson said, “I would like to thank my staff, our community partners and our summer youth employees that contributed to our tremendous success this summer.”
• Mentors in Blue Police Academy: Two dozen youth ages 14-17 spent the summer with members of the New Rochelle Police Department as part of the inaugural Mentors In Blue (MIB) collaboration. Designed to promote, encourage and maintain positive relationships between Police Officers and youth, MIB began in 2017 with yearly forums between Police and Youth which identified activities/events that both groups could do together including group dinners at local restaurants, BBQ’s, bowling, and team Olympics. “When we have the opportunity to interact and engage with kids, they get to see us as people and we get to know them,” New Rochelle Police Commissioner Robert Gazzola said.
• GIRLS ON FIRE: This is the second year for “Girls on Fire” which introduces young women to careers in firefighting and emergency operations. Young women visited New Rochelle’s five fire stations and the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services Fire Training Center. There they watched operations, became certified in CPR/AED and trained in “Stop the Bleed”, and met female career firefighters who live and work in Westchester County.
• FUTURE CEO’S: With the goal of inspiring youth with foundational values and tools, and to spark an entrepreneurial mindset, this summer a group of 25 students ages 14-18 engaged in weekly themes including Finding your Purpose, Research your Industry, Creating a Business Plan, Marketing, and more. Highlights of the program were guest speakers Jerron Love of Connectfy and Sachi VIP Spa, DJ Messiah of The Game Island, Tiffany Maciel of Jewlzfordayz, and young entrepreneur DJ SmityyBoy; and field trips to corporations, including TikTok headquarters in Manhattan.
• ECOLOGY: The “Ecology Ambassadors” Learn and Earn introduced New Rochelle youth to the intricacies of the waterfront in our community through shoreline exploration. Students spent their summer weeks along the waters of Long Island Sound, surveying and evaluating flora and fauna; surveying geophysical and
environmental conditions of waterfront parks; designing and engineering possible solutions to mitigate environmental concerns and establishing systems for sustainability and conservation. This program was in partnership with the Booker T. Washington Vocational Institute and the City of New Rochelle Department of Development/Sustainability
The Summer Youth Employment program was supported by funding designated by the New Rochelle City Council, the generous support of the community through the “Summer in the City” fundraiser, and the Cappelli Organization.