For some of the 3,000 eastern Kentucky young people who got summer jobs this year through Let’s Go 2 Work, the initiative was a way to learn new job skills and make some money before going back to school. For others, like 19-year-old Sierra Neal of Cumberland, it was a chance for a permanent job and a newfound independence.

“Now I’m taking care of my son and myself,” said Sierra.

That’s a point of pride for Sierra, who smiles as she picks up and looks at a framed photo of her young son, Jordison, she keeps near her on her desk at work as a reminder and motivator.

Let’s Go 2 Work placed Sierra in what was intended to be a temporary six-week job as a secretary with Environmental and Energy Services in Harlan, but she impressed her employers so much during her summer placement they decided to hire her full time.

Across 23 eastern Kentucky counties, over 3,000 young people ages 16 to 24 got the opportunity for a summer job this year through Let’s Go 2 Work, an initiative administered by the Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program, Inc. (EKCEP) and provided in Harlan County by the Harlan County Community Action Agency. Wages for these summer jobs were paid with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds.

Let’s Go 2 Work helped give Sierra an opportunity to leave behind a world of food stamps and uncertainty for one in which she could pay her bills and have better control of her life.

Sierra spent her early years in Battle Creek Michigan; home of the Kellogg’s and Post cereal companies. In fact, she grew up next door to a cereal factory.

“I would wake up every morning smelling cereal,” she said, laughing.

After moving to Harlan County, Sierra said she played sports, was a cheerleader, and had a passable GPA in high school, even though she got into a bit of trouble. After high school she spent one semester taking basic classes at Southeast Community and Technical College in Cumberland, but then she got pregnant and left school when she moved to Lexington to have the baby.

After Jordison was born, she knew he had to find work somewhere to pay for her apartment and her bills. Her only work experience was at a pizza restaurant, and when she returned to Harlan County she could not find a job.

“I tried every place in Cumberland,” she said.

The food stamp office referred her to Let’s Go 2 Work to fulfill a work requirement, and Sierra said she is glad they did.

After talking with Chris Thompson, her career advisor at Harlan CAA, Sierra was placed at Environmental and Energy Services.

Sierra started off at her new job testing water samples in the lab at Environmental and Energy Services, but the soon company moved her to help out as a secretary and her employers took notice of her job performance in that position.

“I think she has done excellent to be as young as she is,” said Chris Simpson, office manager. “She’s shown a great work ethic on various projects.”

Sierra said she loves working at Environmental and Energy Services and working with the people there. The location of the job is also very convenient for her because it lets her leave her son at day care on the way to work in the morning in Harlan and pick him up in the evening as she leaves for home in Cumberland.

“It’s very good to have a regular income,” she said.

With her newfound stability, Sierra is looking to the future by planning to return to community college soon to finish her education. She said she would tell others that taking part in programs like Let’s Go 2 Work is worthwhile and has helped her in her effort to make her life successful.

“I kind of had to grow up a littler faster than I wanted, but I did it,” she said.

Thompson said Sierra is just one of many young people who were helped by Let’s Go 2 Work, including several in Harlan who found full or part-time jobs after their temporary placements ended.

“It’s a great opportunity for a young person,” Thompson said.

Thompson said Harlan CAA will help Sierra work to complete her college education with the financial assistance of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) program. Harlan CAA provides WIA programs in Harlan under contract with EKCEP, which administers them in 23 Eastern Kentucky Counties.

Thompson said that seeing someone like Sierra succeed is the most rewarding part of providing programs like Let’s Go 2 Work.

“It makes me feel good to see people do well,” he said.

The Let’s Go 2 Work initiative will infuse about $6 million in economic stimulus money into the eastern Kentucky economy through wages for over 3,000 summer jobs for youth in EKCEP’s 23-county area. In Harlan County, the program is providing about 206 jobs and $406,000 in wages.

For more information, visit the website at letsgo2work.org.