LCF Teens Seek Professions, Not Playtime

Teens, parents, local business owners and volunteer coordinators gathered at  Tuesday for "Teens Move," a fair designed to match teens with work and volunteer opportunities.

With the possibilities abounding, kids like Ben White, 14, were in luck; White was looking for volunteer projects to use toward Eagle Scout credit. His friend Josh Stroud, 14, on the other hand, was "looking to make some money." He has no formal work experience, but he is determined to get some, hopefully something involving kids, he reports--preferably babysitting.

As for Leanis Stephanian, there's no couch surfing in this 14-year-old's future.

"I'm interested in working this summer," she said. Stephanian has some experience coaching kids soccer, but is ready to branch out into daycare or lifeguarding.

Present at the event were organizations such as Glendale Healthy Kids, the La Cañada Youth Council, American Red Cross, Ahead with Horses, Ability First, Billy's Board Shop, the, Tree People, Child S.H.A.R.E. and Burbank Youth Employment. The casting producer, Yvette Ulrich, from Cartoon Network's game show Hole in the Wall was also on site, actively recruiting wild and energetic kids for a show that she says is a version of "human Tetris."

There was a d.j. and raffle prizes (including candy and sneakers) for the teen's pleasure. Droves of kids swarmed through as fifth period ended, and another round as the sixth period bell rang. Among the job opportunities were lifeguard positions, locker room attendants and youth services workers for the city of Burbank, or counselor positions for camps like Tom Sawyer Camp in Pasadena. By and large, however, the opportunities at the fair were philanthropic rather than fiscal.

The American Red Cross was looking for volunteer service coordinators and office assistants (non-paid), but positions were as far as West Los Angeles. Ahead with Horses (a non-profit organization who teaches special needs kids how to ride and do tricks on horses) was looking for volunteers interested in assisting with fieldtrips or special events, or spotters for when children are actually riding the horses. 

Glendale Healthy Kids (a non-profit organization that helps youth in need of medical or dental care) was soliciting teen volunteers for fundraisers and fairs throughout the year, as well as office workers. Executive direct Camille Levee explained that Healthy Kids provides "medical, dental, vision, or mental health services for individuals who are considered uninsured or under insured."

Child S.H.A.R.E., a non-profit organization finding adoptive and foster homes for Los Angeles youth, was also at the high school. Child S.H.A.R.E. has a team participating in the L.A. Marathon, and representative Amanda Bell hoped to find teens to man an encouragement station for the Child S.H.A.R.E. runners.