Teenagers who live in Orrville, Beloit, Marion Junction and surrounding areas will have a chance to get work experience this summer through the first Orrville Summer Job Youth Program.

The program came by way of Orrville Mayor Louvenia Lumpkin, who got the idea from her two kids. It is funded through a collaborative partnership of the town of Orrville and local businesses.

“A lot of times in smaller communities, children don’t have a chance to get jobs. This program offers local summer jobs this year,” Powell said. “This will give them something to do besides sit at home. It will give them some experience on how to work on the job.”

Applications can be found at the Orrville Town Hall, post office, along with schools and churches throughout the community. They must be turned in by May 13 along with a one-page essay where teens explain why they want a summer job.

Teens who apply must be ages 16-19. Lumpkin said she expects participants of the program to leave with many skills they did not have before.

“They will learn discipline and how to work and earn their own money,” Lumpkin said. “Teens will be able to help their families out and do things for themselves like buy their own school clothes for the beginning of the new school year.”

The program will employ 13 teens. They will work from 8 a.m. – noon Mondays through Thursdays and will earn $7.53 an hour from June 13 into early July.

Some of the jobs include keeping the town of Orrville clean, stocking stores and tutoring children. Applications were available Wednesday and Lumpkin said there has been a good response.

“The kids are very excited. Two students have already completed their essays. This is something that I want to happen every year,” Lumpkin said.