Registration open for teen Summer of Service program
Teens have an opportunity to gain service hours this summer through the Lee County Public Library virtual Summer of Service program.
The Service Learning Workshops for Teens program is available for ages 12 to 19 and runs from June 16 through July 28, with finished projects due to the library by Aug. 13 to receive credit.
“They can earn service hours by participating in a virtual program,” Youth Services Programing Coordinator Amy Jane McWilliam said. “There are community speakers who come in weekly and talk about their organization and how it helps our community. The teens are given break out questions to discuss in break out groups. Then they complete a project for the organization on their own time at their home.”
McWilliam said if a teen knows they cannot make one of the weeks of the program in advance to let her know.
“They can watch the recording and still get hours,” she said. “I do think if they miss one, or two, and make it up, they still get the full impact of the program and the purpose of the program.”
Registration opened May 1 and can be done by visiting www.leelibrary.net/SOS.
“All teens have to do is register. A supply kit is sent to their local branch and they can pick it up. It has all the supplies they need to complete the project,” she said.
There are three project options. Participants can do one or all three.
“At the end of the summer they bring the completed project to the library and get service hours,” she said.
Last year the teens worked with animal services and created social media content for animals up for adoption, as well as designed and created I Voted buttons with the elections office.
“This year we have a variety of guests,” McWilliam said, adding that there are 150 slots open for teens.
Some of those guests include McWilliam, Jason Teeters with the Collaboratory, Shannon Stainken with the Sanibel Sea School; Kealey McNeil with Coastal Watch and Jodi Walborn with Streets Alive of Southwest Florida. The first virtual workshop is June 16.
The Summer of Service program began because during COVID and afterwards teens could not complete service hours.
“It’s a passion project of mine,” McWilliam said. “I am really excited about it and I know community partners are, too. It’s another way to reach teens in the community. We are raising good citizens that are going to be engaged in building a kind, healthy and vibrant community.”
Last year was the Summer of Service pilot program, which had 100 teens registered and 65 who showed up on a weekly basis. She said the teens kept in touch and got together, volunteered for Fandom Fest and the Reading Festival.
“They have done other volunteer events outside of the library system inside the community,” McWilliam said. “They found each other through the program and created friendships.”
To reach MEGHAN BRADBURY, please email news@breezenewspapers.com