D.C. High Schoolers Engage Business Owners For Their Summer Jobs
July 31, 2009 - Crystal and Briana are both 15 years old. They're filling out a questionnaire with the owner of Soul Day Spa in Ward 5. "Do you ever see children playing on the street?" Crystal asks. "In the last three months, how many car accidents have you seen? Speaking about crime, how safe is the neighborhood?"
The girls are participating in a program called Community YouthMapping. They're approaching business owners in every ward of the city to find out what services they need. Then they will compile their findings and issue a report for the Mayor and the City Council.
The program's coordinator, Amelia Corangy, says YouthMapping teaches children the kinds of "soft" skills that schools often overlook.
"Being able to introduce themselves to somebody that they don't know is something that they're just supposed to know how to do," she says. "But they've never been taught. Forcing kids to speak publicly and talking about things like eye contact and stuff like that, it's important."
The city is paying the students through its summer jobs program. Click here to see story.
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