Teen Week is back at the Daviess County Public Library this Wednesday and Thursday, offering local youth the chance to build their resumes and connect with potential employers during an event organized by the Owensboro Youth Empowerment Summit and DCPL staff.
The week kicks off Wednesday with a Resume and Interview Workshop from 4-6 p.m. at the library. Teens will receive help preparing their resumes and participate in mock interviews with local professionals and volunteers, including representatives from the Kentucky Career Center.
On Thursday, the library will host a Teen Job Fair from 4-6 p.m. Employers such as Holiday World, Walmart, McDonald’s, Ben’s Soft Pretzels, Crumbl Cookies, Wonder Whip, Towne Square Pet Resort, Ritzy’s, and others will be on hand with job opportunities.
DeMarcus Curry, co-organizer of the event and founder of the Owensboro Youth Empowerment Summit, said the event has steadily grown since its start in October 2021.
“We do it twice a year — once in October and again in March — and it’s just continued to grow,” Curry said. “The goal is to get teens ready for the workforce with real tools like resume building and interview practice, and then give them a chance to connect directly with employers the next day.”
Curry said the idea for the initiative stemmed from work he did in 2020, organizing a job fair to help individuals experiencing homelessness. After the success of that event, he expanded the effort to include adults and eventually focused on teens.
“Teens were always my main focus, and that first Teen Job Fair we did in 2021 was successful. That’s why I’ve stuck with it,” Curry said.
He credited the partnership with Sarah Jacobs of the Daviess County Public Library as a key to the program’s success.
“We work really well together. If I come up short on something, she’s got the answer, and vice versa. It’s a perfect match,” he said.
Curry, who also serves as a pastor and has been leading youth empowerment efforts since 2007, said giving back and helping others has always been a personal calling.
Volunteers are still welcome to help with the workshop, and additional businesses are encouraged to join the job fair. Interested individuals can contact Curry at [email protected] or Jacobs at [email protected].
