Mayor Bowser Celebrates 2015's Summer Jobs Program With 15,000 Participants

More than 15,000 young people started their first summer jobs in D.C. Monday as part of Mayor Muriel Bowser’s first summer jobs program.

The program is named after late Mayor Marion Barry, who started the summer jobs program in 1979.

Bowser offered advice to the young professionals at Enlightened, Inc., a consulting and IT company in D.C. She recounted her first job and explained the importance of the program in preparing the city’s youth for entry level jobs.

Summer jobs teach “how to get up on time, how to show up at work, how to dress appropriately. How to, you know, finish a task,” Bowser said.

Enlightened, Inc. CEO Antwayne Ford was a summer jobs student in 1980.

“I'm glad to see kids that are here because once we open the door, these kids are great. They just need opportunity,” Ford said.

Participants in the summer jobs program range in age from 14 to 24. They will be paid $5 to $9 per hour in the six-week program.

Participant Jacobi Glover is headed to Morehouse College in the fall. But he didn’t want to sit around all summer waiting for classes to start.

“That won’t prepare me for my future because I don't plan to hang out with my life. I plan to do meaningful stuff,” Glover said.

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