City of Tacoma press release.
TACOMA, Wash. – This year, the Summer Jobs 253 program is celebrating 10 years of success with an anniversary event and Trades Fair that is open to the community. The celebration event will take place from 11 AM – 1 PM at Dr. Dolores Silas High School on August 18, 2022, followed by a Trades Fair sponsored by Korsmo Construction from noon – 4 PM in the Dr. Dolores Silas High School parking lot.
“In the last decade, more than 1,200 Tacoma Public Schools students have earned high school credit for graduation while gaining valuable paid work experience through the Summer Jobs 253 program,” said Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards, who has steadfastly supported the program since its inception. “I am so proud of these remarkable young people as well as the employers who have demonstrated their commitment to Tacoma through their support of the program.”
“We are confident that these Summer Jobs 253 graduates will enter today’s workforce equipped with the valuable skills they need in financial literacy, project management and more,” said Tacoma Public Schools Superintendent Josh Garcia. “Their perseverance and drive to succeed should inspire others who may be considering participating in the future.”
Mayor Woodards will join Tacoma Public Schools Superintendent Garcia at the event to present them with their final paychecks. Each student will receive stipend amounts of up to $1,000.
Summer Jobs 253 – a workforce development initiative which first launched in 2013 as a joint venture between the City of Tacoma, Tacoma Public Schools, Workforce Central and The REACH Center – is jointly spearheaded and managed today by the City of Tacoma and Tacoma Public Schools. The program is funded by City of Tacoma workforce development funds.
“We launched Summer Jobs 253 in 2013 on the premise that our youth need paid work experience as part of their education,” said Congresswoman and former Tacoma Mayor, Marilyn Strickland. “In the last decade, these partnerships and investments have paid off for our students. Graduation rates in Tacoma have soared from 65 percent to 90 percent, and I look forward to seeing how this program evolves.”
Community Service Organizations interested in getting involved with the Summer Jobs 253 program can contact Kacee Woods in the City’s Community & Economic Development Department at kwoods@cityoftacoma.org or (253) 591-5075.
