Summer "Vacation" Projects

Older teens 16 to 19 years of age, maybe as many as 60% of them, have figured their futures will be better served by attending summer school or participating in sports and clubs, rather than working in a minimum wage job. Although such choices probably feel like heresy to parents and teachers who spent their summers as lifeguards and waitresses at resorts, working construction, or going from office to office as temps, young people who spend their summers focusing on opportunities that will lead to a career, especially a career with an international application, could be less likely to boomerang back home because they cannot find a job. As reported in the World Future Society's March 2014 issue of The Futurist, the analysis of older teens by Gray & Christmas can be interpreted to suggest summer vacation is an excellent time to help young people do some career planning and preparation.

     Where should students look for career-related summer programs and internships? Local colleges and universities, churches, 4H (even in urban areas), zoos and humane societies, children's, art, and other museums, libraries (in addition to programs, read biographies, self-help and special interest books), schools devoted to the arts (music, theatre, dance, art, fashion design), newspapers and magazines, fitness centers and gyms, YMCA and YWCA, Boys and Girls Clubs, professional and amateur sports teams, social service societies (Rotary, Kiwanis, Knights of Columbus), local, state, and federal governments, scout troops, political parties and candidates, camps devoted to a particular career, such as computers or space (See the earlier blog post, "Space Explorers.").

     Whether it is a Pillsbury Bake-off recipe or a winning photograph, contests are another summer activity that can lead to recognition and a future career. Contests are mentioned in a number of earlier blog posts: "Take Your Best Shot," "Young Voices," "Work Around the World," "TED Talks for Teens," "Robot Revolution," "Dairy Cows on the Moove," "A Healthy Environment."

     And don't ignore do-it-yourself projects: planning and planting a year-round sustainable garden (See the earlier blog post, "A Healthy Environment."); organizing a yard sale or running a lemonade stand with attention to pricing, display and advertising; using video or a vine to tell a story; planning the best cost-effective virtual foreign trip by watching exchange rates in a number of countries (See the earlier blog post, "When to Buy/Sell in the World Market."); subscribing to the World Edition of littlepassports.com in order to receive a monthly letter about a country visited by fictional "Sam and Sofia"; charting the weather (See "Climate Control."); or counting bees (See "The Bees and the Birds.").

     Whether they learn Hindi, how to coach soccer, or the value of a ruble, summer presents an opportunity for students to position themselves for employment in the global marketplace. After all, according to trendwatching.com, the global culture sees "consumers from nine to 90, from Chicago to Bangkok" using the same smartphones, eating sushi, and wearing the same sneakers.