At the Rowayton Library

There are seven interns (5 are returning Summer Youth Employment Program “SYEP” participants) at the Rowayton Library and they are working hard to bring to the community the Library’s summer programs. Did you see them last week serving up hot dogs for Hot Dog Day? Well, if you missed them, when you visit the Library during the next few weeks, you can catch them shelving, assisting patrons in locating their favorite book or DVD, teaching origami on Mondays, reading stories to children almost every weekday morning, helping everyone with the latest in beading techniques on Wednesdays, serving iced tea on Tuesdays, and even developing a “virtual book sale” to benefit the Library. The Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP aka the Weed & Seed program), administered by the Mayor’s Office is a five-week employment program that provides jobs for the young people, ages 14-18, so they can learn to navigate in a business environment, contribute to the community, gain life skills, explore a specific profession and earn money. Participants work 25 hours a week and earn minimum wage. This year, more than 175 young people are participating in this program. The Rowayton Library has participated in SYEP for the last five years… and they are very excited with this year’s “crop” of “Weed & Seed” kids. The Rowayton Library is grateful for this grant as are the “Weed & Seed” kids, who not only earn a wage and gain valuable work experience, but most importantly, work within the community –– venturing out (for the first time) into the real world.