Lake County Journal

Interns bring tie-dye, tacos and life lessons to Avon Township

Lake County Summer Youth Employment Program inspires community event

A Tacos & Tie-Dye event created and organized by summer interns at Avon Township drew at least 200 people, with a line wrapping around the building.

A Tacos & Tie-Dye event created and organized by summer interns at Avon Township drew at least 200 people, with a line wrapping around the building. (Photo provided by Avon Township)

By Jami Kunzer

ROUND LAKE PARK – The future felt bright – and colorful – as interns with the Lake County Summer Youth Employment Program hosted their own community event at Avon Township.

The Aug. 1 event, “Tacos & Tie-Dye,” featured school supply giveaways, tacos and hands-on tie-dye activities for about 200 children and families as a culmination of a seven-week internship.

“It was amazing,” said De’Sire Samuel, 17, who plans to graduate from Round Lake Beach High School this December to study architectural design. “We had people wrapped around the building 30 minutes before opening.”

As Avon Township interns this summer, Rashad Smith, 18, a recent graduate of Grayslake Central High School, and De’Sire Samuel. 17, a senior at Round Beach High School, helped organize a Tacos & Tie-Dye event.

As Avon Township interns this summer, Rashad Smith, 18, a recent graduate of Grayslake Central High School, and De’Sire Samuel. 17, a senior at Round Beach High School, helped organize a Tacos & Tie-Dye event. (Photo provided by Avon Township)

Samuel and two other high school interns spent their summer working side-by-side with Avon Township staff through a partnership with the Lake County Workforce Department. Their responsibilities included everything from assisting with food and clothing distribution to answering phones – and ultimately, leading a communitywide event from the ground up.

Avon Township Supervisor Michele Bauman said she challenged the interns to come up with an event and take full ownership of it.

“The interns led the project with confidence and pride,” she said. “They learned how to delegate responsibilities and discovered that things don’t always go as planned, requiring them to quickly pivot their ideas to keep the event flowing smoothly. None of us expected the line to form around the building before the event started.”

Samuel said when they ran out of activity supplies, they passed out boxes of chalk and children ended up decorating the back entrance of the township office.

She took part in the program to build her college resume.

“It was very hands-on,” she said. “I learned how to take care of the community, essentially.”

The township’s participation in the Lake County Summer Youth Employment Program marked its first time as a host site.

As a summer intern at Avon Township, Rashad Smith, 18, helped plan events, distribute resources and mentor young volunteers.

As a summer intern at Avon Township, Rashad Smith, 18, helped plan events, distribute resources and mentor young volunteers. (Photo provided by Avon Township)

Funded by the Lake County Board and administered by the Lake County Workforce Development Department, the program provides paid summer jobs for qualifying youth ages 14 to 18, or up to 22 for those with an Individualized Education Plan, or IEP.

The program is competitive, with more than 1,000 applicants each year and about 165 students placed at job sites across the county, including local municipalities, school systems and nonprofit organizations.

Created to provide opportunities for economically disadvantaged youth, applicants are selected based on a random lottery, said Jennifer Everett, youth program manager for the Workforce Development Department of Lake County.

Interns have done clerical and administrative work, assisted at park district camps, mulched playgrounds and worked with Boys & Girls Clubs, among numerous experiences, she said.

“The program was created as kind of a first-time job experience with a lot of mentoring and the ability to match a young person based on where they live, so they can also learn about their community and give back,” she said. “It also helps them learn a network of caring adults in their communities, they can get references from for future jobs and just to be civic-minded.”

Summer interns at Avon Township, including De’Sire Samuel, 17, came up with the idea to host a Tacos & Tie Dye event. Along with creating T-shirts, participants went home with school supplies.

Summer interns at Avon Township, including De’Sire Samuel, 17, came up with the idea to host a Tacos & Tie Dye event. Along with creating T-shirts, participants went home with school supplies. (Photo provided by Avon Township)

The county has hosted the program for at least 25 years, providing funds for the teens to earn $15 an hour throughout the summer. Some help their families financially with paying bills and saving money for school clothes and shoes, Everett said.

As part of the program, most of the interns will receive laptops at the end of the summer to support their continued learning and career development. The program also provides parents of the participants with exposure to the Lake County Job Center and the resources it provides to help adults find jobs, Everett said.

“It is very unique in the state of Illinois there’s even such a program,” she said.

In addition to their work in the office and food pantry, the Avon Township interns also mentored younger volunteers, Bauman said. They brought fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to the township, she said.

“They willingly took on new challenges outside their comfort zones, ultimately making Avon Township a better place to live,” she said.

One of the interns, Rashad Smith, 18, a recent graduate of Grayslake Central High School, said the experience helped him grow personally and professionally.

“Before I came here, I wasn’t confident making eye contact or talking to people,” said Smith, who plans to pursue a business degree at Wartburg College. “Morally, I feel like this job is benefiting me a lot. Just small acts of kindness go a long way. Helping people, that just feels good.”

Lake County