JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – School may be out for summer, but for nearly 200 teens and young adults in Jacksonville, work is just beginning.
They're taking part in the city's summer jobs program.
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The participants gathered at the Main Library downtown Monday for the opening ceremony of the program. They'll also undergo three days of training.
After Mayor Alvin Brown welcomed them, they heard from a variety of speakers, including former Jaguars defensive end Paul Spicer.
He had participated in a similar program as a teen in Indianapolis.
"Right now, it's about education, getting their education," Spicer said. "This program is about even excelling in that, getting even more education to be able to go out and learn and do the things they need to do to succeed at life. Life is about choices. They're making a great choice right now taking part in this program. I made a choice years ago and it helped me, it molded me to who I am today and I'm thankful."
The participants will work for the city and some partner organizations. In addition to getting a paycheck, they'll be learning career skills, gaining leadership traits and more.