We’re heading to Miami this weekend, where gun violence plagues youth just as it does in Philly. And while I’m no policy expert, by any stretch, I recently heard uplifting news about a really smart effort aimed at keeping kids safe by giving them opportunities.
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State Senator Sharif Street announced that our Philly delegates to the State Senate secured $1 million dollars in state funding to be able to provide year-round job opportunities for teens aged 14 to 18. See, Philadelphia Youth Network (PYN), which works in conjunction with the Urban Affairs Coalition, has been offering summer employment for youth for years; but, Street says, our kids don’t just need summer employment. “After-school employment can be really critical to both enhancing the experiences that young people have, in terms of getting ready and having a good resume, but also in terms of keeping people safe; they’re not engaged in negative activities, because they’re too busy doing positive things,” Street says.
With this state funding, Street explains, young people will be placed in job sites, with the actual funding coming through PYN; employers just have to supervise the teens, and create meaningful opportunities for them to learn and grow. Common employers include Street’s own office, where teens get to learn how a legislative office works, as well as businesses around the city like law firms, dental offices, accounting companies and more.
The funding from the Commonwealth is just for this year, but Street says the intent is to find money to keep it going, because they expect that it will be a success.
“My father [former mayor John Street] always said ‘Good luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity,’ and there’s a great opportunity here,” Street says. “Young people need to be prepared to take advantage of it.”
I like the idea of not just keeping teens busy, but doing so in a way that can help them earn financial independence and develop that sense of pride and dignity that comes from working. Plus, I’m a big fan of involving kids in local government and service work in general, and this seems like a great way to not only give kids something to do extracurricularly, but also to learn.
Next week, we’ll host the Giants, and I’ll tell you about a Philly high school that does everything it can to support its often overlooked students.
PhiladelphiaEagles |
MiamiDolphins |
|
# of students
203,225 |
# of students
350,040 |
|
% graduated high school
72 |
% graduated high school
89 |
|
% population with a BA
26 |
% population with a BA
28 |
|
$ per pupil
15,000 |
$ per pupil
8,500 |
|
% students economically disadvantaged
73 |
% students economically disadvantaged
69 |
|
% students of color of
86 |
% students of color of
93 |
|
% teachers of color
31 |
% teachers of color
81 |
|
% students in charter schools
34 |
% students in charter schools
20 |
|
% special education students
16 |
% special education students
18 |
|
% English language learners
12 |
% English language learners
18 |
Philly Sources: All from School District of Philadelphia except % with a BA from here, and $ per pupil here.
Miami Sources: All stats provided by the Miami-Dade County Public Schools except % with a BA from here, and $ per pupil here.