Idle Hands Summer Youth Employment Program continues to support dedicated teens – despite reduced funding

Idle Hands Summer Youth Employment Program continues to support dedicated teens – despite reduced funding

Since its founding in 1999 by long-time youth and family advocate Billy Davis, A Positive Step of Monroe County (APSMC) a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has remained committed in its mission to champion and uplift some of Monroe County’s highest-risk youth and families.

In 2010, that mission expanded through a partnership with the City of Key West to create the Idle Hands Summer Youth Employment Program, a transformative opportunity for Key West High School students to gain real-world work experience in a variety of City departments during their summer break.

While the paid internships are open to all KWHS students who seek summer work, since its inception, many of the “Idle Hands” students have also been participants in the “Take Stock in Children” program, which provides Florida prepaid college scholarships upon graduation to qualified Monroe County students from low income households.

“It’s a mutually reinforcing relationship that’s built a dynamic support network for local youth, helping them gain a solid footing in life and a real shot at a bright future,” said Davis. “While Take Stock in Children focuses on college readiness through mentoring, the Idle Hands Summer Youth Employment program equips teens with essential professional and interpersonal skills – benefiting those headed to college, into skilled trades training, or directly into the workforce out of high school,” he said.

From the program’s initial application process and job readiness training to hands-on internships across various City departments, the program fosters practical skills, responsibility and self-worth. This summer’s cohort of 13 student interns has been working in five City departments: The Key West City Cemetery, Human Resources, the Key West Police Department (KWPD), Multimodal Transportation under the Engineering Department, and Transportation:

At the City Cemetery, students Tamia Stevens, 18, James Osborne, 17, Jeef DeJean, 18, Jamel Bernard, 17, Tristan Weech, 17, and Zamorious Gardner, 16, are contributing to essential upkeep and administrative tasks, giving them a direct link to the island’s history and heritage. Tamika Kelly, 17, interning at KWPD, is gaining firsthand insight into law enforcement. With plans to major in Criminology and minor in Forensics, her internship offers a strong foundation for her academic and career goals.

Dylon Staffney, 16, an incoming junior known for his talents in visual and performing arts, has been assisting at the City Hall front desk and in the finance department. He plans to study business and art, starting at the College of the Florida Keys. Meanwhile, in the City’s Engineering department, Zenavious Carey and Woodly Jean, both 17, are supporting multimodal transportation initiatives and planning to pursue skilled trades – Woodly with a focus on electrical or HVAC work.

In the Transportation Department, 16-year-old Jenasis Cartwright, who aspires to attend Yale University, has been gaining hands-on experience at the dispatcher desk – taking calls and assisting with bookings and bus routes. Devontra Rice, 18, a clarinetist in the KWHS marching band, has also been working on bookings and route planning. He plans to attend Valencia College before transferring to UCF to study Law and Criminal Justice. Shyla Walden, 16, a member of the KWHS Conchettes dance team, has focused on photography and communications for the department and has future plans to study Law and Political Science at Columbia or Howard.

More than just a summer job, the Idle Hands Summer Youth Employment Program provides a vital support system for many of the teens and their families. For some, paychecks help cover personal expenses; for others, they help in supporting the household. Recognizing this, APSMC raised intern wages this year to $18 per hour, and shortened its employment readiness training from two weeks to one, allowing students to benefit from an additional week of paid work.

While the City is able to accommodate as many as 18-20 student interns each summer, in the end it’s the availability of funds that determines how many may participate. This year, a shortfall in funding resulted in a “class” of thirteen, the lowest number of participants since the program’s inception, along with executive director Billy Davis assuming the responsibilities of job coach.

Operating annually at a cost of approximately $100,000, the Idle Hands program relies on a $35,000 contribution from the City of Key West, with the remainder raised by APSMC through grants, community fundraisers – such as the annual holiday season “Rudolph Red Nose 5K – and donations from generous private individuals, clubs, and businesses, including, said Davis, the local Lilly Pulitzer boutique, The Community Foundation of the Florida Keys, the Key West Sunrise Rotary Club, Cigna Insurance Company, and Waste Management.

“2025 has brought new and unexpected challenges to non-profit entities and marks a defining moment in our commitment to our communities youth,” Davis said. “We are reaching out to our supporters and partners – past, present and future – to help ensure APSMC continues to do the life-changing work it was created to do. These young people are worth the investment, and we are determined to keep this program strong, accessible, and impactful with the community’s support.”

Contact Billy Davis at 305-304-1969 or APSMCCRP@aol.com for more information about APSMC, its programs, and how you can get involved.

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