RACINE — Racine County's Summer Youth Employment Program is wrapping up for the season, and participants say the 8-week experience has given them a clearer picture of their futures.
The program offers paid work opportunities for youth ages 15 to 18 across a variety of industries. Beyond job readiness, the county says programs like this help increase graduation rates, reduce youth incarceration, and improve participants' income later in life.
For Lexy Simpson, the program confirmed her path in healthcare.
"I like that it gave me an opportunity to kind of see what I wanted to do in the future," Simpson said.
She was one of several students who worked at Ascension All Saints during the program.
She said the experience helped her grow personally and professionally.
"It definitely teaches you how to work with people. It kind of matures you in the workforce, getting you ready to work with people of different age groups or backgrounds," Simpson said.
Ja'Nyla Hudson, who also worked at Ascension in Racine, said the program taught her skills she'll carry into adulthood.
"I learned a lot: How to be respectful, responsible, and be ready to work, so when I go out in the real world, then I will know how to work a job," Hudson said.
Watching healthcare workers in action deepened her commitment to the field.
"I see a lot of good people and how they take care of people and how they treat people here," she said. "And that really inspired me, like, 'Okay, this is definitely what I want to do.'"
For Hudson, she hopes to one day be a nurse at the Ascension location on Spring Street serving her hometown.
Fellow participant Brooklyn Allen said the experience had a similar effect on her.
"I got to see people healing people," Allen said. "And it made me realize, this is actually what I wanted to do."
Brooklyn plans to graduate high school early and pursue a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. She says her time in the Summer Youth Employment Program helped solidify those plans.
"They actually enjoy what they're doing," she said of staff she'd interacted with. "You can see it."
For employers like Ascension All Saints, the program addresses both workforce demand and community need.
"They've really helped to lighten the load and be productive toward us, which helps them help the community," said Michael Vastano, workforce development manager for Ascension's Center for Career Advancement.
He said the partnership reflects a broader mission.
"It's really important for us to help those in Racine grow where they were planted," Vastano said.
Participants wrap up the summer program this month. Applications for next summer's program will open in 2027.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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