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The New City Kids program hires local high school students to tutor and teach musical instruments – keyboard, drums and vocals — to area youngsters.
"We invest in our high school teens as leaders and professionals,” said Gabriel Stiritz, the NCK developmental director.
High-schoolers of all years are hired to work with children in first through eighth grade in the internship program, which pays them an hourly rate.
A hundred students applied for a limited number of New City Kids positions. Of those, 30 were hired for the 22nd Street location in Paterson. Others were brought aboard the Jersey City program.
Even applying for the job was a learning experience.
“The students spend two to three days going through the interview process, depending on the location,” Stiritz said. “They bring their resume and report card to apply for the job.
"From the get-go, we teach them how to present themselves well in an interview and do role playing for performing arts.”
The teens then help tutor the younger students while teaching them to play instruments.
"Every single high school student in our program graduates," Stiritz said, "and that is big with the dropout rates in school at 50 percent."
The program monitors the teens' grades, keeping them accountable. Those who drop below a B average must undergo mandatory tutoring. The teens also must enroll in a SAT class.
Several educational field trips are are arranged — to locations such as Bayonne Community Bank — to explore different career paths.
There's also a five-day Spring Break college tour when the group meets with 20 New City Kids alumni from 14 colleges.
"We want them to take the next step toward success in life -- and seeing that it's possible," Stiritz said.
To DONATE or VOLUNTEER: http://newcitykids.org
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