Deadline Looms For Youth Summer Jobs Program
(CBS) -- Summer is just around the corner, and that means young people will be looking for something to do.
As CBS 2's Mai Martinez reports, the city of Chicago is hoping they'll turn to jobs instead of the streets.
Hirsch High School students are hoping they're just a few clicks away from a summer job.
"I'm very stoked because I'll actually have something to do over the summer," freshman Orissa Winfert says.
She and her classmates are applying through the city's "One Summer Chicago" program, which is offering 24,000 jobs to Chicago residents aged 14 to 24.
The jobs pay minimum wage and are with the city or one its partners.
Paris Jones has had a One Summer Chicago job since her freshman year. It helps her buy clothes and shoes.
Mentors say for many students it's about more than the money.
"(It) keeps them off the streets, keeps them gainfully employed. They're proud of themselves that they're working," says Brandon Reynolds, program manager for KLEO mentoring program.
The alternative – kids being on the street -- can lead to trouble. So, mentors try to keep the teens focused on getting a job and building a brighter future.
Some of the jobs include bike repair, working in city departments, office work in small businesses and working at the Brookfield or Lincoln Park Zoo.
The deadline to apply for the program is Friday. Click here for information.