School’s out for the summer but that doesn't mean learning has to stop.
As NY1's Leisha Majtan reports, a summer youth program in the borough is keeping students busy and preparing them for the real world.
Some teens would rather trade their books for the beach once the summer hits, but not Taylor Haberkern.
"Just sitting on my butt all summer doesn't really help me toward anything," said the New Dorp High School senior.
Getting a job was a top priority for the student.
"I'm going to be a senior, I'm working on college applications next year, I need to start thinking ahead. So I also want to try and just pad my resume and just be as prepared as I can for the real world," added Haberkern.
Haberkern is one of 5,500 students on Staten Island involved in a summer youth employment program with "United Activities Unlimited."
The non-profit works with the City's Department of Youth and Community Development.
Haberkern works 25 hours a week as a marketing intern.
Not only is she taking home a paycheck, she's getting hands-on experience.
Her instructor Nicholas Stendardo says that’s what the program’s all about.
"It allows them to go out into the real world and network with industry professionals. Programs like this really give these kids a competitive edge," said Stendardo, a Workbase Learning Coordinator from New Dorp High School.
The job opportunities are endless with U.A.U.
Kids are placed in law firms, with architects, and in hospitals, with some of these jobs paying up to $25 an hour.
"Every kid comes through this door with a different 'want,' with a different experience level. And so we try to match them to the right thing. We have kids with no experience, and so they have to start somewhere."
Officials with U.A.U. say their programs don’t end when the summer is over.
The organization helps students all year long by providing homework help and assistance with college applications at no cost in order to help them advance in life.
For more information, head to unitedactivities.org.