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(From left, counterclockwise) Deborah Necessary, Dylan Rudder, Kellie Martin and Caron Kestner paint a curb in downtown Prestonsburg. They are part of a group of young people employed through the Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Progam, Inc.’s Let’s Go 2 Work initiative who have spent this summer sprucing up downtown Prestonsburg.
Dylan Rudder mixes paint. Dylan is part of a group of young people employed through the Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Progam, Inc.’s Let’s Go 2 Work initiative who have spent this summer sprucing up downtown Prestonsburg.
A group of young people employed through the Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Progam, Inc.’s Let’s Go 2 Work initiative who have spent this summer sprucing up downtown Prestonsburg. Participants included, (from left, front row) Kristy Adkins; Caron Kestner; and Stephanie Jenkins and (from left back row) Kellie Martin; Dylan Rudder; and Deborah Necessary.
[July 2009]
The Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program’s (EKCEP) “Let’s Go 2 Work” summer jobs initiative has taken off and one city is getting very visible results.
Eight Let’s Go 2 Work participants are currently working to beautify downtown Prestonsburg by painting curbs, restoring storefronts, hanging flags and posters, pulling weeds, and doing other needed tasks.
These improvements are made possible by Let’s Go 2 Work, a summer youth employment program provided by EKCEP using American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding. Let’s Go 2 Work will put approximately $6 million into eastern Kentucky’s economy by putting 3,000 young people ages 16 to 24 to work in temporary jobs throughout EKCEP’s 23-county region.
Brent Graden, economic development director for the City of Prestonsburg, thought the program was “a great idea” when he first learned about it.
“We normally try to hire seasonal help but for the last two years we have had budget constraints, so Let’s Go 2 Work has really helped us get back on track,” Graden said.
Let’s Go 2 Work provided an opportunity to empower local youth and to take care of the community, according to Graden.
“It just sounded like a great program—a great way to mentor young people and help out the community,” Graden said.
In addition to beautifying downtown, each task is teaching the young participants something, whether it is a specific job skill or a general understanding of how to behave on a job and how to relate to their co-workers and supervisors.
Some workers are learning other valuable lessons, too.
“I am one that won’t litter now,” laughs Deborah Necessary, 17, of David. “You don’t notice just how many cigarette butts are lying around until you are picking them up.”
Some of the young workers may have another job waiting when the summer program ends September 30. The young workers are doing such a good job that Graden is trying to help the youth start their own painting company. The company will be called “Brushes with Greatness” and will be available to do commercial and residential painting, Graden said.
Graden hopes this program leads all of the participants to college or to a decent job.
“They will leave here with a resume and a game plan for what they want to do,” Graden said.
For more information, visit the website at letsgo2work.org.