Herald - Lantern - Dispatch 21 May '86 5

Summer Job Program Has June 23 Deadline

By GREGG LAWSON ERMA — Calling all kids! The county's summer jobs program. for economically disadvantaged youths has 350 slots, but only 253 applicants. That's the usual situation, primarily because the program pays the minimum wage of (3.35 an hour and mo6t youths can find summer jobs in this tourism county paying more. The problem is worse this year, though, because of a state mandate that at least 20 percent of the youths' time be spent in classroom training that includes academics and job seeking skills. THE FEDERALLYFUNDED Summer Youth Employment and Training Program (SYETP) places the youths in private, nonprofit or private agencies for eight weeks, 35 hours a week, at the minimum wage of $3.35 an hour. Although the April 18 deadline is passed, applications will still be accepted until June 23, according to Caren Maene, chief planner at the county Office of Employment and Training. The program will start June 30 and run until Aug. 23. According to Joseph

Haggerty, administrator of the office, the low number of applicants reflects the availability of higherpaying jobs. "WE'RE NOT in competition with the private sector," Haggerty said. "Kids could probably get a job at (a fast-food restaurant) that pays $3.85 an hours or something like that. They pay $4 an hour or more on the boardwalk. "The name of the game is employment," he added. "If the private sector can employ them, then that's great with us." Haggerty and Maene both said the program has trouble getting older children. "The program is for kids (aged) 14-21 ; we mo6tly get kids under 18, though. The older kids work at other jobs," Mafrne said. "Sometimes we have a problem; a lot of job requests are for older children." The state mandate for classroom training adds to the difficulty. "EVEN THOUGH it's supposed to be a very fun and dynamic program, if kids associate it with going to school they won't want any part of it," Maene said. Still, Maene told this newspaper that planners are looking at a proposal that would have kids in the

classroom half of their time. "We are looking at a proposal now so half the kids will be in the classroom four days a week while the other kids are out working 35 hours a week," she said. The two groups would switch as part of this "flipflop" program and the children would be paid the same wage for the classroom portion, she said. THE THEORY behind the mandated classroom training is summed up in correspondence from the U.S. Department of Labor. "Research shows that youth, particularly economically disadvantaged youth, lose ground academically during the summer," the report states. "When they return to school ir> the fall, they are often well behind their achievement level." The resulting frustration, the report said, contributes to the high drop out rate among economically disadvantaged youth. In 1984, SYETP got $432,498, spent 15 percent ($64,875) for administration and placed 235 youths in jobs. LAST YEAR, the program got $476,988, spent $71,548 on administration and started with two-thirds of its 393 job spots unfilled. This year, its allocation was cut 35 percent, to $309,715, with $46,457 going I to administration. The I allocation for the entire [ Atlantic/Cape May Service Delivery Area was V $905,600. , Maene said there will be some left over money that will be used when the fiscal year begins June 1. Job requests come from agencies like Cape Human Resources, the county park and the Woodbine Development Center. Maene said

the jobs are all "aides" jobs, and the youth perform tasks such as filing, typing, cleaning, painting. , etc. "A LOT OF KIDS take a maintenance aide, are assigned to a custodian at a high school or grade school and they help them do the clean up and everything for the new school year," Maene said. "It depends on their age; we're real careful with the Child Labor Laws. "Jobs are provided by different agencies within the county and supervisors work with these kids and supervise and teach them and help them out and that kind of thing," she added. "It gives the kids a great opportunity."

All handicapped youths ("people that can workout have a slight handicap," Haggerty said) are * automatically eligible, as are those from families on welfare orfood stamps There also are family income guidelines, such as $11,000 for a family of four. rs, —

Anyone interested in checking eligibility or requesting an application can call the Office of Employment and Training at 886-0975. Applications also are available from school guidance counselors and the employment office in Wildwood.

TERRY'S m I Beauty Shoppeof RioGrande^> J I At Your Service 1 Julie - formerly of Marlyn Manor JJrXj Sara Jane Garrison J' 1 1 4 WALSH AVENUE RIO GRANDE f (BW houe* on Mred behind Dunkln Donutm) 889-1136 I Open at 7:00 a.m. It No Answer. 886-4074 4 Appointments Taken Dally

CAPE MAY COUNTY 1 :) jvjte ) ppnmirE o ®^rdin PRODUCE & MARKET ' ^ mjT <■ , COMPLETE USE OF FANCY FRUITS I *1 1 4VC FARM FRESH VEGETABLES DALE Y! | a ll , • SWEET CALIFORNIA • % 1 \ Jfck .£r STRAWBERRIES • RASPBERRIES ipM *0** 2FmT 1 1 * and cherries NOW is season Vuuns 5156# . "rat selection ground v ~ Hanging Plants cover FLOWERS! SC99 S799 perennials FLOWERS! f f UZL mom AmwtitnmM, [ (StiU I FLOWERS! * ^ A FULL GROWN HI QUAUTY CULTURED GERANIUMS! RED, WHITE $1 59 I SC99 PINK & PURPLE 1 J " « SMALL SQUARES-GERANIUMS. ..59' EACH » J ANNUALS *1? S170 I TREES. BUSHES* SHRUBS JL ■n km match PACK FLAT ' MU17* RED— WHTO— PINK FRESH I AZALEAS A. <AtX RH0DW)EHDR0NS white ^ * f* *10 AS LOW $799 'Y~ ca*l BtUfrth* Go»d AS / II h l ull ) m> Try Hr LARGE jffr^ KJST SPANISH ONIONS^p sj&ra pwci.ES w ± siM wj^r MOW AVAILABLE mrviNC I * »« » ^06^

< Hats - On A Hat Shop ... And More Open Weekends Sat., Sun., & Mon. 9504 3rd Ave., Stone Harbor • 967-4840

HOLIDAY TREAT #1 A great way to treat yourself to some holiday fun is to save yourself the time and trouble of that holiday picnic by calling 884-2111 — and letting the FILLING STATION do it. Whatever you want — Fried Chicken, Potato Salad, Burgers, even a great Steak — just call the FILLING STATION (884-2111) and we'll have it all ready for you to enjoy the holiday without the work. HOLIDAY TREAT #2 (In case of less than perfect weather) Should the skies threaten (or if you're not in a picnic mood) one great affordable way to have a less work and more fun holiday is to visit the FILLING STATION. We've got the right holiday food for the whole family, and at the RIGHT PRICE. WHERE is ail this? At the FILLING STATION, of course. THE FILLING STATION Parking in ihe °Pen at 4:30 everyday in Cape May Rear of our Budding Across from the Acme cool... when the heat is on. I Com M Women s Camas fiwonte 7V J JR Brawn Men i Genuine l Miner Hu Mtcim entire family. \ JlO90 Cenjn leader Tnongs f-tahonOton #46 - Rio Grande Rio Mall Hmj Rts. 9 & 47 ^ 'am