Mayra Perez loves working with the teens who participate in Y.O.U.’s Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). “These teens are hard workers. They love what they do. They’re self-motivated…leaders.”

Perez knows her Y.O.U. youth. Perez of the Catholic Charities La Providencia, Hispanic Services Office has employed summer teens for several years to serve day care centers, learning centers, and a head start program. Usually the youth perform puppet shows for the young children. But with the Covid-19 pandemic, the programming has shifted to another kind of service.

The four teens in the program, three sisters, Joanelys, Rosa, and Paola, and a teenage boy, Johndiel, have spent several weeks creating coloring books, banners, and posters with positive, anti-bullying messages, both in English and in Spanish. “The teens loved it,” Perez said. “At 8:30 each morning, they came in and sat down right away to work on their projects. They are so creative and need very little direction from me. We call John our Master of Banners.”

Her only regret is they won’t see the faces of the children who will enjoy their art. Perez has received positive feedback from the centers. “When I read the notes to the teens, they light up and smile. They’re so excited!”

Perez, who has worked with youth for more than 20 years, feels our young people are misunderstood and stigmatized as bad. “They’re creative, down to earth, humble. They want to make a real difference in their neighborhoods.”

At the end of each day, Perez sits with the teens and lets them talk about their feelings and worries. She implores parents and family members to listen to them because they have important things to say.

“More people need to give them opportunities, and we need to allocate more resources to our youth. These teens really care about their schools and community. It’s up to us to help them find their voice.”

Join us to unleash the potential of youth. Learn more about becoming a Y.O.U. employer.