Thanks to the iconic Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program (MBSYEP), DC's youth are gearing up for summer with purpose and a paycheck. Mayor Muriel Bowser has set the scene for the program's 46th year, an ambitious endeavor that offers young residents between the ages of 14 and 24 a shot at gainful summer employment. As per the Mayor's Office, Bowser expressed pride in the initiative: "For 46 years, the Marion Barry Summer Youth Employment Program has been an important tool for not only keeping teenagers engaged throughout the summer, but helping them meet mentors, learn new skills, and earn money."
The summer of 2025 rings in with some novelty, marking the introduction of the Pathways to Finance Grant. Spearheaded by the Department of Employment Services’ (DOES) Office of Youth Programs, the grant aims to usher high school students aged 16 to 18 into finance via six weeks of intensive, hands-on learning followed by immersive experiences at universities and financial institutions nationwide. According to the Mayor's Office, MBSYEP will connect approximately 13,000 participants with over 700 host employers, making for a packed season of professional exploration and development for the youth of DC.
Not just sticking to the status quo, MBSYEP is complemented by the Career Ready Early Scholars Program (CRESP), which is entering its third year of operation. In this initiative, children aged 9 to 13 can delve into age-appropriate curricula and activities, providing them a unique opportunity to contemplate and chart out their own educational and career trajectories well before the tumult of high school years.
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