Step-Up Omaha provides jobs for over 500 youth

Each summer,the Empowerment Network hosts Step-Up Omaha, a program that offers Omaha youth (14-21) skills training, jobs, internships and development.

The program was held virtually this year due to the pandemic.

THESE TEENS HAVEBEEN WORKINGAROUND THECLOCK ALLSUMMER..LEARNING SKILLS TOHELP THEM, BOTHIN AND OUTSIDETHE CLASSROOM.142503 "WE'VE HADSO MANY DIFFERENTTHINGS, WE'VE HADTO BE SO CREATIVE,SO INNOVATIVE FORTHESE YOUNGPEOPLE AND NOTONLY DO I FEELACCOMPLISHED BUTI JUST FEEL A SENSEOF FULFILLMENTBECAUSE WE WEREABLE TO EMPLOY510 INTERNS THISYEAR."STEP UP--WHICHJUST COMPLETEDIT'S 13THYEAR--CONNECTSOF TEENS ANDYOUNG ADULTSWITHDEVELOPMENTPROGRAMS ...SKILLS TRAINING ...AND SUMMER JOBS.MOST INSTRUCTIONTOOK PLACE OVERZOOM THIS SUMMERDUE TO THEPANDEMIC ...BUTCONSTRUCTIONCOHORT STUDENTSMET AT THE BRYANTCENTER TO PUTTHEIR SKILLS TO THETEST.142621 "THEY HAVEBEEN IN ACONSTRUCTIONCOHORT FOR THISSUMMER AND SOTHEY'VE BEENLEARNING HOW TOPAINT, THEY'VEBEEN DOINGTHINGS AROUNDTHEIR HOMES--THEY'RE ACTUALLYGOING TO GOHOME AND FIXSOME OF THEIRSCREEN DOORSAFTER THIS IS OVERAND THEN THEYHAVE OSHACERTIFICATIONSNOW SO I MEAN TOTALK ABOUTBUILDING YOURRESUME LIKE THAT'SWHAT THISPROGRAM IS ALLABOUT ..I WOULD SAY THAT,THAT DEFINITELYWAS MISSIONACCOMPLISHED."143645 "I'M STILLND OF FIRGT WHETHER LEIS OR NOT ...ST GOING INTO NY TWHEN YOU'REOLDER YOU WON'TBE LOST ...AND WON'T HAVETO SPEND A LOT OFMONEY BECAUSEYOUR PARENTS WILLHELP YOU AT AYOUNG AGE ...AND THINGS LIKETHAT."JANELLE PHELPS ...A SENIOR ATBENSON ...IS CONSIDERING ACAREER INCONSTRUCTION.143622"SOMETHING IREALLY ENJOYED ISMEETINGEVERYBODYAROUND ME ANDLEARNING HOW TO,WHAT I WANT TODO WHEN I'MOLDER."DIRECTOR MONIKICANNON SAYSWITH THE HELP OF 6PARTNERORGANIZATIONSAND 40 COACHES ...STUDENTS ENDTHEIR SUMMERSPREPARED FOR THEFUTURE.142957 "WE NOTONLY HAD TO BECREATIVE ANDINNOVATIVE BUTWE HAD TO BEOPEN TO TAKINGRISKS BUT I THINKTHAT HAS REALLYSTRETCHED US INWAYS THAT WILLMAKE 2021 EVENBETTER."143414 "DEFINITELYIF ANYBODY NEEDSHELP I CAN BEWILLING TO HELPOUT FIX UP SOMETHINGS AROUNDTHE HOUSE ANDNOT HAVE TO PAYSOMEBODY TO DOIT FOR ME."AND NOW PHELPSHAS SKILLSEMPLOYERS ARELOOKING FOR.TINA DIAZ-CIECHOMSKI ...OWNER OF FUTURECONSTRUCTIONSPECIALTIES ISWORKING WITHSTEP UP, AND SAYSSHE'S GLAD MOREYOUNG WOMENARE LEARNINGTRADES.144857 "I JUST HOPETHAT MOREBUSINESSES GETINVOLVED WITHTHIS PROGRAMBECAUSE I THINKTHE MORE HELPTHEY HAVE, THEBETTER IT'LL BE FORTHE COMMUNITYAND THESE YOUNGKIDS BECAUSETHEY'LL HAVE MOREPEOPLE MENTORINGAND HAVING THEMLEARN DIFFERENTAREAS BECAUSETHERE'S ALL KINDSOF AREAS INCONSTRUCTION ...SO I THINK IT'SREALLY A GOODTHING."IN OMAHA SYDNEYGRAY 3 NEWS NOW.THE STEP UP PROGRAMENDS THIS FRIDAY.