Gazette photo by MIKE GAY Students clean up around the Taunton Green as part of the YES (Youth Equipped for Success) program. Overseeing their progress are (from left to right) Donna Trucchi, Leonard Hull, Brenda Neugeboren and Julie Sprague-Souza.
The following is an article that appeared in the Taunton Daily Gazette on July 18, 2003 about Project Y.E.S.:
TAUNTON -- As part of a six-week, federally funded summer program that got underway this week, a group of five middle and high school students are putting in 20 hours a week cleaning up the streets downtown.
Gazette
photo by MIKE GAY Students clean up around the Taunton Green as part of the YES
(Youth Equipped for Success) program. Overseeing their progress are (from left
to right) Donna Trucchi, Leonard Hull, Brenda Neugeboren and Julie
Sprague-Souza.
The students, ages 14 through 18,
were hired to work for Heart of Taunton and are part of a group of 40
participating in Project YES (Youth Equipped for Success) -- a program run by
the Bristol County Training Consortium in Fall River, and overseen locally by
Taunton Area School to Career (TASC) and the Taunton public school system.
The thrust of the program is twofold: It helps kids with academic problems
improve their study and learning skills, while also giving a chance to earn a
paycheck.
In addition to working and earning minimum wage, all of the students put in 10
hours a week of remedial studies at Parker Middle School to make up for past
deficient grade scores in math and English.
And besides those picking up refuse and litter, other students are working for
local non-profits and municipalities, including the offices of the mayor and
TASC.
Heart of Taunton (HOT) executive Julie Sprague-Souza said on the recommendation
of TASC career specialist Donna Trucchi, she used the kids last week on a
two-day trial basis. She was so impressed she hired them full-time.
"They’re great kids," said Sprague-Souza. "The city is in need of a major
clean-up, and I think they’re excited about doing it."
Brenda Neugeboren, director of TASC, said "It’s all about community service."
She said in keeping with the TASC philosophy of introducing and exposing young
people to the world of professional work, every other Friday will be designated
a "work ethic day," during which students will visit and tour a local public
company or non-profit.
Three of those so far on the list are General Dynamics, the Taunton Municipal
Lighting Plant and the Holiday Inn.