(FLINT, Mich. – Aug. 2022) High school students looking to get a leg up on the new school year can sign up for the first session of TeenQuest, which will kick off next month at multiple sites in Genesee County. The program, which prepares young people for the 21st-century workplace, covers a variety of skills that can help set them up for success this fall semester.

“By teaching students about goal setting and having a positive mental attitude, TeenQuest helps prepare them to take advantage of the potential a new school year brings,” said James Avery, director of talent development at Flint & Genesee Education & Talent, which administers TeenQuest and is a division of Flint & Genesee Group. “We give them the tools they need to pursue whatever it is they envision for themselves, be it an academic success, an afterschool job or extracurricular activity.”

TeenQuest’s first session will be held from Sept. 12 to Oct. 13, Mondays through Thursdays, at the following locations and times:

• Bendle High School, 3-5 p.m.
• International Academy of Flint, 4-6 p.m.
• Kearsley High School, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
• Southwestern High School, 3:30-5:30 p.m.

The goal of the five-week program is to help students develop the skills needed to secure and keep a job. Hands-on activities promote key soft skills including communication, taking initiative, and conflict resolution. Participants also learn how to write resumes, prepare for interviews and excel in the workplace.

Once they successfully complete the program, TeenQuest graduates will be invited to interview with local employers at the Summer Youth Initiative (SYI) Job Fair, which will be held in April 2023. In 2022, nearly 200 students secured summer jobs with SYI employers including Davison Township Parks and Recreation, Elle Jae Essentials, and Mott Community College.

Students do not need to attend the host schools to participate in TeenQuest. The program is open to all teenagers, ages 14-19 in grades 9-12, who attend school in Genesee County (e.g., public, private, charter, alternative, and home school).

For students who are unable to attend this first session, there will be three more opportunities to participate in TeenQuest before the SYI job fair. Dates include:

• Session 2: Oct. 24-Nov. 23
  • Beecher High School
  • Carman-Ainsworth High School
  • Linden High School
  • Virtual
• Session 3: Jan. 9-Feb. 9
  • Bentley High School
  • Davison High School
  • Grand Blanc High School
  • Hamady High School
• Session 4: Feb. 21-March 23
  • Accelerated Learning Academy
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Flint
  • Carman-Ainsworth High School
  • Madison Academy
  • Swartz Creek High School

Registration for the first session ends Sept. 14.

For more information, or to enroll, visit www.flintandgenesee.org/teenquest or call (810) 600-1413.

About Flint & Genesee Education & Talent
Flint & Genesee Education & Talent, a division of the Flint & Genesee Group, provides high-quality talent development through a continuum of programs for youth and adults including YouthQuest; TeenQuest; and Summer Youth Initiative; and is funded in part by Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and Michigan 21st Century Community Learning Centers. For more information, visit flintandgenesee.org and check us out on Facebook.

About the Summer Youth Initiative and TeenQuest
The Summer Youth Initiative is a program that helps Flint-area teens find paid summer jobs. It’s open to students who’ve completed the TeenQuest afterschool program, which provides pre-employment and leadership training to students ages 14 to 19 to help them succeed in college and the 21st-century workplace. Both programs are administered by the Genesee Area Focus Fund, a supporting organization of the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce, with support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. To apply or learn more, visit www.flintandgenesee.org/teenquest.

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