TeenQuest is partnering with area schools to incorporate pre-employment and leadership training during the school day. The program – previously offered only afterschool and during the summer – is now hosting day-school sessions at Atlantis Alternative High School in Flint, Clio Alternative High School and Swartz Creek Academy.
“Over the past decade, TeenQuest has helped prepare thousands of area teens for success in the 21st-century workplace,” said Rhetta Hunyady, Vice President of Education & Training at the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce, which administers TeenQuest. “By bringing the training into day school, we hope to positively impact more students than ever before.”
According to Hunyady, the day-school sessions follow the same curriculum as their five-week, afterschool counterpart, but are more flexible in their schedule.
At Atlantis Alternative High School, for instance, nearly 30 students are meeting twice a week through early March to complete the training. After graduating from TeenQuest, they will be invited to apply for the Summer Youth Initiative (SYI) Job Fair, which connects hundreds of local teens, ages 14-19. to summer employment each year.
“We’ve received nothing but positive feedback so far,” said Wesley Mayo, Principal at Atlantis. “Considering transportation issues, many of our students are unable to participate in afterschool programming. By offering TeenQuest during the day, we can better accommodate their schedules and meet their needs.”
Genesee County schools that are interested in offering an in-school TeenQuest session should contact Rhetta Hunyady at or 810-600-1412.
Looking forward, TeenQuest is accepting applications for its next afterschool session, which is free and kicks off Jan. 9 at seven different locations. For more information, or to register, visit www.flintandgenesee.org/teenquest.
About the Summer Youth Initiative and TeenQuest
The Summer Youth Initiative is a program that helps Flint-area teens find paid summer jobs. It’s open to students who’ve completed the TeenQuest afterschool program, which provides pre-employment and leadership training to students ages 14 to 19 to help them succeed in college and the 21st century workplace. Both programs are administered by the Genesee Area Focus Fund, a supporting organization of the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce, with support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. To apply or learn more, visit www.flintandgenesee.org/teenquest.