Youths sought for summer jobs painting murals - City needs eight young people

By Denise Richardson
Staff Writer - The Daily Star

ONEONTA — Eight local youths will have the chance to paint murals at one or two Oneonta city sites in a youth employment project this summer, according to project organizers.

Barbara Torrey, assistant director of the Office of Employment and Training, said her office is working to place young people, ages 14-21, in about 100 jobs throughout the county in its Summer Youth Employment and Training Program.

Students are eligible to work in the program if they are learning disabled, in foster care or if they qualify based on federal income guidelines, she said.

Participants earn the minimum wage of $5.15 per hour.

The mural project is being offered for the first time this summer, Torrey said, and her office is seeking a few more students interested in participating.

Six students already have shown a desire to work on the mural, said Jennie Williams, painter with The Mural Project.

In The Mural Project, Williams and Cynthia Marsh have painted artwork on the walls of several local businesses and have a proposal pending before the city of Oneonta for an illustration on the municipal Public Safety Building.

County Office of Employment and Training staff have been arranging with Williams and Marsh to create the summer program to research, design and produce a mural in a city setting.

Williams said the mural theme will be on indigenous birds.

The handball courts in Wilber Park are targeted for mural painting, Williams said. She is looking into other sites, such as the stone wall across from the Wilber Park swimming pool.

Williams said she will present plans to the Planning Commission, the Recreation Commission and the Common Council in the weeks ahead.

As part of the program, youths will learn about government regulations as more project proposals are submitted later to city officials for approval.

In The Mural Project program, students will be introduced to a variety of career avenues, including computer graphic artist, painter, designer, researcher, manufacturer, technician and wildlife manager, project officials said.

The Audubon Society, Benjamin Moore paint company and Golden Artist Colors, New Berlin, have offered to assist or participate in the project, Williams said.

The Summer Youth Employment and Training Program, operated by the county Office of Employment and Training, is a federal initiative designed to provide eligible youth with work experience, chances to explore career options and develop an awareness of their communities.

Torrey said other jobs include work in town and village offices, in highway departments and community recreation programs.

Williams said information about The Mural Project is on display at Huntington Memorial Library in Oneonta.

"We believe that this project will provide our youth with an exceptional opportunity to learn and to be a part of contributing a lasting legacy to our greater community," Torrey said.