Summer Youth Employment Program workers honored

QUEENSBURY | Seventeen local youth who spent their summer working through Warren County's Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) were celebrated Friday, Aug. 15, for their efforts helping local businesses, municipalities and non-profits during the busy season. The annual picnic luncheon takes place at Crandall Park in Glens Falls, and includes workers, representatives of the employers who hosted them, Warren County supervisors and other local leaders. They were celebrated for the work they put in during the six-week program, which brings many of them to their first experience in the workforce. Brianna Dunning of Warrensburg was named SYEP employee of the summer, honored for her efforts at Oscar's Smokehouse in Warrensburg. NYS Assemblyman Matt Simpson presented her award. Summer workers were also recognized and awarded prizes at the event for perfect attendance, perseverance, teamwork, respect toward others and more. The youth, whose ages ranged from 14 to 20, were placed at nine work sites around the county, and paid $15.50 an hour through federal grant funding, overseen by Warren County Department of Workforce Development. They learned career skills, financial literacy, workplace protocols and more. One has already been hired full-time by his summer employer, and another has been offered a permanent position. They persevered through a hot summer and greatly helped employers and workplaces with tasks from preparing lunches for Operation Food Chain summer meal program to customer service and filing paperwork. Liza Ochsendorf, Warren County Director of Workforce Development, said, "While some of the youth returned to the program this summer for a second or third year, for many others, it was their first work experience. I want to commend all of the youth for taking a risk in trying something new. It is evident that they excelled in not only learning job skills but also learning something about themselves." Ochsendorf thanked them for their efforts at Friday's picnic, while the youth workers and their employers heard words of encouragement from Assemblyman Simpson and recent SUNY Adirondack graduate Tyrese Brown. Brown recounted his inspirational story of persevering from Jamaica to graduation and his next chapter as a pre-med student. Ochsendorf also praised Warren County Department of Workforce Development staff members Emily Lee, Kayla Sherman and Lori Vachon, who spent many hours throughout the summer preparing youth for their jobs, driving throughout the county to conduct site visits and observe the workers on the job, along with providing employee and employer support to ensure the workers' success. Members of the Warren County Board of Supervisors attended the event as well. Board of Supervisors Chairman Kevin Geraghty said, "The Summer Youth Employment Program not only provides valuable work experiences for our youth but also helps our local businesses and government entities operate during our busiest time of the year. We thank our young workers as well as Warren County Department of Workforce Development for their efforts with this program every year." For more information on the program, as well as other programs offered by Warren County Department of Workforce Development, go to swwworkforce.org/career-centers.

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Summer Youth Employment Program workers honored

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